Listen!
by Kid Al
Summary: [We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow] In a world where rock music is heavily frowned upon, five highschoolers come together to revive the school's light music club. All they wanted was to play their music. It was an innocent dream but there's little room for innocence in the Republic of Greater East Asia. BR-AU. HTT-centric. Starts slow.
1. Chapter 1

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc One: _Tsubasa wo Kudasai._

Chapter One.

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"Blonde," commented an amber-eyed girl to her friend.

Ritsu stood leaning against the frame of a door, her arms folded across her chest. She sent a meaningful look to her best friend, inclining her head slightly in the direction of the person of interest. It was not like Mio could have missed it, anyway; blondes, and especially natural blondes, were a rare sight in the Republic of Greater East Asia.

Mio didn't catch her friend's look. Her grey eyes, alight with questions, were fixed on the stranger. Like Ritsu had pointed out, there was a fair-haired young lady found across the road. She obviously did not belong to this neighbourhood. Even if it wasn't for her attention-grabbing hair, the stranger's jumpiness and choice of wardrobe definitely set her apart from the locals in the area. The stranger wore a summer dress, cardigan and flats – definitely too dressy for the likes of the people around here.

"I thought their sort weren't allowed here anymore?"

That was true. For as long as the two teens remembered, the Republic of Greater East Asia has condemned the influence of the external world. It was drilled into them from a tender age that the Western culture was barbaric and vulgar; a sentiment that had only grown following the disappearance of two students from the Battle Royale a couple of years earlier. The boy had been a rock guitarist who indulged in music from the external world. Obviously it had corrupted him. Their disappearing act had also tightened the regulations on music as well – something that Ritsu definitely did not appreciate.

"They aren't, generally," Mio responded haltingly, still in thought, "but I think there are still some of them around. Despite what they claim, I don't think the Republic can afford to sever all ties from the external world. We don't have enough land to sustain our food supply by ourselves, if you think about it."

Ritsu could only nod in agreement; leave it to Mio to figure it out.

The tawny-haired girl would be the first to admit that she had a very limited attention span and she was not going to waste more of it in lessons of little practicality. Mio, on the other hand, was very conscious about her academic performance. It had become a norm for Ritsu to come crawling on all fours to Mio, begging the latter to help her cram the night before an examination. Mio often called her a leech but Ritsu would only shrug it off; she couldn't deny what was the truth. She probably wouldn't be starting her second year of high school in a couple of weeks if it weren't for Mio's help.

She kept her gaze on the blonde, amber eyes squinted slightly in concentration. Though Ritsu's face was apathetic, her eyes were alert – calculating. Mio need only spare the briefest of glances in Ritsu's direction to read her rambunctious friend's mind. She knew that look and what it meant. She didn't approve of the intention behind Ritsu's stare.

"Don't," warned Mio firmly. "Don't even think about it, Ritsu."

Ritsu merely raised her eyebrows at Mio.

"Then get inside," she said, nodding towards the other side of the door from which they had appeared not too long ago. "You can't help what you aren't aware of."

Through gritted teeth, Mio said: "It doesn't work that way, Ritsu. Just because I can't see you at it don't mean that I don't know what you're doing."

Mio caught Ritsu's gaze and held it, trying wordlessly to discourage the other girl from going through with her plans. Mio actually looked pretty intimidating when she glared, an effect that was only amplified by her tall stature. Had she been anyone else, Ritsu might have seriously considered heeding the advice of the 'Dangerous Queen' but, alas, she wasn't. Ritsu has been on the receiving end of that glower for many years now, and the novelty of the scowl was lost after a couple of years. And, if nothing else, Ritsu was stubborn; if she had her mind made, there was no dissuading the girl.

To her credit, Mio attempted to hold the look for just a bit longer before she gave in. With a sigh of exasperation, she turned on her heel and entered the building.

"Fine," she called to Ritsu, "but I hope it eats away at your conscience at night."

Ritsu didn't even bother with a response. She merely flipped her black hoodie up and went in for the kill.

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.

.

Mugi had been waiting for her chauffeur to turn up when she was accosted by a hooded figure.

Little by little, as the Kotobuki heiress approached the age of majority, her father had been easing his hold on the reigns and delegating responsibilities to the girl. She had just settled her negotiations with some of the branch stores in the area on her father's behalf and called for a ride. A couple minutes in, she received news that her ride was caught in bad traffic and would arrive only after an undetermined amount of time.

Mugi was scared. She had never been to such a run-down area of town before and was more than a little surprise that her father requested that she handled this dealing. Mugi guessed that was what she got for asking her father to allow her to be more independent…

Her heart picked up its pace when she received news that she would be stranded in the area for some time. Her instinct was to panic but she stiffened that upper lip and let that chauffeur know that she understood, and that she would be waiting by the store. He apologised once again before ending the call, but not before letting her know that he'll give her a call fifteen minutes before arriving. With all the composure expected of her, Mugi thanked the man and settled to wait for him.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Mugi squeaked in surprise, jolting at the sudden voice coming from her side.

"Woah! Calm down!" the stranger cried, eyes wide in surprise, quickly flipping the hood of the black jacket down. It was a girl – no older than Mugi herself. The tawny-haired teenager, with her hands held in surrender, quickly added, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Mugi kept silent, too busy catching the breath she lost from the scare. She nodded her head to let the girl know that it was alright. The girl reached over to pat Mugi on the back.

"There, there."

"So…" the girl drawled, once Mugi appeared to have recovered, "what brings you around these parts? You're obviously not from around here."

Mugi tilted her head in question. Was it really that obvious that she wasn't familiar with the place? She sure hoped not; that would only make her an easy target for predators…

"Umm, yeah, it's pretty obvious," the girl said.

Mugi could feel the heat crawling up her cheeks, burning right up to the tips of her ears. Did she say that out loud?

"I'm Ritsu," the stranger announced.

The blonde hesitated for a moment. She knew that she shouldn't be giving her name to people that she met on the streets but surely it would be alright to let Ritsu know her name? Ritsu – the girl with the bright, sincere eyes and megawatt grin. Ritsu did initiate the greeting by introducing herself first, after all. It would be rude of Mugi if she didn't return the gesture.

"Kotobuki Tsumugi. Pleased to meet you," Mugi said with a bow. For a moment, she was worried about revealing her family name but Ritsu did not even bat an eyelash. The girl was obviously unfamiliar with it. Mugi very nearly sighed with relief; maybe Ritsu will treat her like an average girl this way. That would be lovely, wouldn't it?

They chatted for a bit. Ritsu was friendly and an easy conversationalist, albeit a little brash at times. She sounded independent – like a girl who could take care of herself. Her lack of use of feminine pronouns only added to that image. Yes, in her black hoodie jacket, white tee, yellow shorts and sneakers, Ritsu looked ready to hold her own. Despite having just met the girl, Mugi felt comfortable in Ritsu's presence – safe, even. Ritsu just has a very welcoming aura about her.

But eventually, the topics dwindled and gaps began to edge their way into the girls' conversation.

"Say, Mugi," Ritsu asked breezily, having discarded the formalities and choosing to use the blonde's nickname, "what's the time now?"

Ritsu looked up at the sky, which had started to take on a warmer tone. It was probably late in the afternoon, Mugi surmised, and the time shown on her cell phone only confirmed her deduction. It looks like it was almost tea time…

"Tea time, huh?" Ritsu chuckled. "That sounds good. When is your ride coming, anyway?"

Right on cue, as if Ritsu was a psychic, Mugi's phone rang. Her chauffeur was on the other side on the line, letting her know that he would be there in fifteen minutes or so.

Ritsu nodded in response, offering to stay with Mugi till she had a ride back home. When Mugi thanked her, Ritsu merely shrugged, saying that it wasn't exactly safe to leave a girl standing alone in an unfamiliar neighbourhood. Nothing serious happened on this side of the place, though, Ritsu assured – just petty crooks and con artists.

It wasn't long after that a familiar car pulled up at the curb, its driver running a flood of apologies to the young lady. Ritsu's eyebrow raised just a fraction, as if it had just dawned on the girl that Mugi's family had a bigger income than an average household's. She quickly shook her head and smiled at Mugi, however.

"It was nice meeting you, Mugi," Ritsu greeted over her shoulder. "You're fun to talk to."

And just like that, Ritsu sauntered away, a hand raised in farewell.

.

.

.

_'Tea time, eh?'_

The weight of the newly-acquired wallet in Ritsu pocket told her that she would be enjoying tea time today. Maybe she could get a little something for her mother and Satoshi… Oh, and Mio, too. She would really have to make it up to her friend for ignoring the advice given. Mio was known to be in a bad mood whenever her words of caution went unheeded by Ritsu. The tawny-haired girl was prepared to make a show of grovelling for forgiveness if need be, though Mio would probably end up giving her a scolding for being melodramatic.

She had barely made it down the block when a voice called out to her.

"Ricchan!" called Mugi's voice, accompanied by hurried footsteps. "Please wait!"

Ritsu paused, albeit warily. She was ready to run if the girl had caught on that Ritsu picked her pocket during their encounter. Though she was in position to bolt, Ritsu kept an easy-going smile on her face.

"What's wrong, Mugi?"

The Kotobuki heiress took a moment to catch her breath. Good. It meant that Ritsu could probably outrun the girl if she wanted to.

Mugi struggled between gasps, "Would you like to have tea with me?"

Ritsu's eyes widened. She had pictured the many ways that this scene could play out but an invitation to tea certainly wasn't amongst them. But she quickly ousted those irrelevant thoughts from her head. The longer she spent standing in Mugi's presence only meant that the risk of her actions being discovered was only mounting. So, she rubbed the back of her neck, putting on a show of hesitation. Man, was Ritsu a good actress or what?

"I'm sorry, Mugi, but the common folk like us don't really have much to go on by…"

"Please have tea with me," Mugi pleaded. "I'll treat you to it; don't worry about that."

_'Huh… She would treat a random stranger to tea?'_ Ritsu wondered.

It was strange; what Mugi had offered to do was really uncommon where she grew up. Everyone only ever looked out for themselves (and maybe their families) in this place. It was about the survival of the fittest and all that jazz; people didn't have time for_ kindness_ – or righteousness, for that matter. But, ugh, Ritsu would hate herself is she bit the hand that fed her.

Ritsu sighed, "You won't be able to treat me to tea, Mugi, even if I agreed to it. And after what I'm about to reveal, you probably wouldn't want me around, either."

She reached into her pocket and fished out Mugi's wallet, ignoring Mugi's gasp of surprise. With a heavy heart, she held out her day's pickings back to its owner. Damn her moral fibre… She could have had such a treat with that money.

"I'm so sorry I betrayed your trust, Mugi."

"… Why?"

Mugi had asked the question in the smallest of voices. It was so delicate – so fragile. Geez, now Ritsu felt horrible about deceiving the girl. She should at least answer the question.

"Why did I take it? Well it's kind of the norm around here but that's no excuse for what I–"

"That's not it, Ricchan," Mugi said. "Why did you choose to return it when you could've left me none the wiser?"

Ritsu was tongue-tied; she hadn't been expecting such a question. She fidgeted slightly, bringing a hand up to scratch at her cheek while she tried to conjure up an answer. Ritsu was not one to blush but she could feel the heat inching its way towards her sheepish face.

"Well, I guess I just – it didn't feel right," Ritsu admitted, ending the sentence a little lamely.

And, to Ritsu's surprise, Mugi enveloped Ritsu in a hug – a hug that let the tawny-haired girl know that all was forgiven. To say that Ritsu was shocked was an understatement. She had tried to _steal_ from the girl but was forgiven just like that? Was this how things were in the upper class society? Things definitely didn't fall in place so easily where RItsu came from. She didn't know if she should admire Mugi's forgiving nature or chastise the girl for being too sweet for her own good.

All Ritsu managed was to reciprocate the hug, albeit awkwardly. That was really saying something as Ritsu was one who had trouble respecting personal space. While she might grab the hands of people she had just met on impulse, she had reservations about pulling acquaintances into hugs. That sort of behaviour got people stabbed in her neighbourhood…

"You're not mad, Mugi?"

Mugi peeled herself away to reply: "Well, I am a little bit upset…"

Ritsu looked down towards her sneakers, scuffing the toes of them on the grainy sidewalk.

"… But, to do the right thing even when you could have gotten away with it: I don't think you're a bad person on the inside, Ricchan."

Ritsu looked up to find a gentle smile on Mugi's face and blue eyes warmer than the sea on a summer's day. She couldn't help but crack a smile herself.

"Why don't you wait here?" Ritsu offered. "I'll introduce you to my friend, Mio. She disapproves of my pickpocketing. Maybe that'll be some common ground for the two of you, eh? And maybe we can go grab something from the fast food place nearby?"

A smile.

"Okay."

:::


	2. Chapter 2

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc One: _Tsubasa wo Kudasai._

Chapter Two.

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Two figures spilled out of the backdoor and into an alley. The taller of the duo hesitated at the doors. She pulled a length of metal chain and looped it around the two hooks the teenagers had installed when they first began using the abandoned store as a clubhouse of sorts. Her friend quickly snapped the padlock on with a click, and tugged at the lock to make sure that it was securely in place. Satisfied by the resistance, she dashed off, heading for the other side of the street.

"And she agreed to grab some fries with us just like that – even after what you did?" Mio asked.

Ritsu nodded, walking backwards so that she could face Mio.

"I know. Pretty crazy, right? Come on! Hurry up, Mio!"

Mio shook her head; Ritsu was as enthusiastic as ever. Where did that girl store all that energy? She never seemed to tire, that one. It drove Mio insane sometimes but she'll (grudgingly) admit that it was sort of fun keeping up with her best friend.

Ritsu was right at the edge of the sidewalk, toeing the lip of it. If she lost her balance, she would have fallen right onto the narrow, one-way road cars hardly ever found themselves on in this maze of a town. It was obvious that she was waiting for Mio to catch up.

"Gosh, you're slow," Ritsu whined.

"Shut up," Mio snapped, long since having developed a backbone against her friend. "Must everything be so fast-paced with you? It's no wonder you always end up rushing."

Having had enough of Mio's dawdling, Ritsu backtracked and took her friend's hand. She pulled Mio along, the same way she had done countless times before in their juvenile days. Some things never change, do they?

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mugi," said Ritsu by way of greeting. "Mugi, this is Akiyama Mio – my best friend. Mio, this is Mugi; she's really kind-hearted. Oh, and gentle, too – a trait that you – Ouch! Hey!"

While Mio was cordially exchanging greetings with Mugi, Ritsu pouted. The noticeable bump on her head was throbbing ever so slightly, prompting Ritsu to rub at the sore spot. Mio, however, went about acting as if the random act of violence had never occurred. Mature, cool and responsible – that was Mio's image. But it was only a matter of time before Mio's true side would be exposed; that girl didn't take creepy or gory stories very well.

Mugi, on the other hand, was courteous with the greeting. She, however, reduced the formality of the atmosphere by addressing Mio as 'Mio-chan' instead of 'Akiyama-san', as was customary. Mugi went further, insisting that Mio refer to her as just 'Mugi'. Mio conceded, although a little timidly. It was kind of fun to watch; while most found a flustered Mio was impossibly cute, Ritsu found it downright hilarious. It was the opposite of how Mio would want to present herself.

"You two seem like a fun pair," Mugi commented as they made their way to the nearest Max Burger.

The journey towards the golden arches was filled with chitchat and laughter. Mio really did seem to click with Mugi. Or, at least, she seemed to be more than comfortable sharing embarrassing stories about Ritsu in their younger days. Ritsu proceeded to plug her ears and attempt to drown out Mio's voice. This earned her a giggle from Mugi.

The two best friends were just about to pass through the doors of Max Burger when they realised that Mugi lagged behind, standing still before the establishment.

"I've never been to a fast food restaurant before," whispered Mugi, almost reverently. Her eyes were all aglow; those baby blues were filled to the brim with wonder and excitement.

Mio sent a quizzical look Ritsu's way. Ritsu returned the look with one of her own and an added shrug. As far as Ritsu was concerned, it was just another fast food outlet – nothing special about it. It was kind of hard to believe than Mugi had never been to one. Which kid hasn't been to a fast food place? Ritsu's family were a little tight on money but they could still afford the occasional trip to Max Burger. It really wasn't all that big of a deal.

Mio and Ritsu made quick work of placing their orders and securing a table. It wasn't long before Mugi joined them with a tray of her own.

"I've always wanted to be asked if I would like fries with that," said Mugi, wistfully, sliding into the seat by Ritsu's side.

Glee was written all over the blonde's face. Once again, the two best friends exchanged looks. Huh… Maybe the blonde wasn't kidding when she said she had never been to a fast food restaurant before. It was a little hard for Ritsu to wrap her mind around but it sort of made sense. This girl has a chauffeur, after all; it wouldn't be too hard to imagine Mugi having butlers, maids and chefs at home as well. Okay, maybe that was a little too over the top. Shaking her head slightly, Ritsu went back to chomping on her fries. Man, did she love those fried potato sticks.

In spite of having always wanted to be asked if she would like fries with her order, Mugi hardly ate them at all. She was quick to insist that Mio and Ritsu share her food. Not that Ritsu was complaining, of course; she really was a fan of French fries. Mio had tried to avoid the greasy snack initially but gave in after a while, picking at a random stick now and then. Ritsu knew that Mio was conscious about her weight but had never understood why, though – it seemed like all the weight Mio gained went to her chest, anyway. The shortest of the trio held back a sigh, keeping her lamentations over her flat plane of a chest to herself.

Eventually, the snacks were gone and the drinks were drained dry. Mio went ahead and suggested they made a move; she wanted to get some school supplies before sundown. It wasn't too late out, and Mugi seemed enthusiastic to tag along when Mio asked the blonde if she would like to join them. And so, the trio left Max Burger in favour of the bookstore, with Ritsu complaining about how school was a drag and how the holidays seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye. It wasn't long before Mio shut her friend up with a blow to the head, thoroughly irked by the incessant whining.

"Aren't you getting anything, Mugi?" Mio asked, noting the blonde's empty arms. The raven-haired girl slipped a case of coloured pens into her shopping basket in the meantime.

Mugi shook her head, no. Mio was in awe when she heard that the girl had been home-schooled her entire academic life. Any and all stationery that she would need was already available at home. No, she didn't really need to get anything new – she just wanted to see the department store.

"That sounds nice," Mio sighed. "Ritsu and I go to the high school over at the next town. We live at the attached boarding school."

Mio very nearly regretted revealing that information for she was soon bombarded by a truckload of questions from the excited blonde. What was it like to live in a boarding school? Doesn't she miss her family? What does she do when she's feeling a little homesick? Was she in close contact with her parents back home? One after another, the questions came. Mio could hardly keep up with them. She could only hope that Ritsu would stop goofing off by the manga station and come save her from the barrage of questions…

.

.

.

"Please, sensei, there has to be a way," the brunette pleaded, tears already brimming in her doe-like eyes.

The young woman, Yamanaka Sawako, shook her head; it could not be done. The girl she was dealing with was a new student, freshly-transferred to Sakuragaoka High School from a high school on the other side of the prefecture. Her grades weren't all that brilliant and she had missed half of the last schooling trimester. She had no clubs or societies to beef up her portfolio… No, her performance practically warranted the girl be forced to repeat first year of high school.

"I'm so sorry. It just cannot be done; especially so if you refuse to account for your truancy last year."

The brunette bit at her lip, deep in thought. Sawako was almost worried; the girl seemed to be struggling with herself quite a bit.

"Ne, sensei… Will you vouch for me if I told you what happened?"

Sawako nodded. "I will try my best."

The student sucked in a breath and exhaled slowly. "Well, here goes…"

The appeal session closed with Sawako asking the girl to come back at the end of next week for a diagnostic test, just to make sure that she would be able to keep up with the rigorous syllabus for second-years. The girl nodded, thanking the teacher profusely for her help.

"I have to ask, though… How did you know to come to me?" asked Sawako, genuinely curious.

"Kawaguchi-san told me to, if you don't mind, sensei."

Sawako nearly snorted in amusement. She really must have a word with that woman soon. Sawako couldn't be helping every other teenage girl Kawaguchi Norimi sent her way, could she?

"I'll see you next week," Sawako dismissed the teenager. "Take care."

"I will," the girl affirmed chirpily as she let herself out of the classroom. "Thanks again, sensei!"

Before the door was shut fully, Sawako was pretty sure she heard another voice asking about how the appeal went. Sawako shook her head, smiling to herself. The other girl must have been waiting right outside the room all the while. It sort of reminded Sawako of her younger days – days spent with her dear band of friends.

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.

.

Mugi wasn't the kind of girl to ask for things from her father.

She had resolved to be independent from a young age and had been weaning herself off from relying on her family's wealth. Mugi sighed and clutched the papers to her chest; she had painstakingly filled out the forms. All that was left was her guardian or parent's signature. Mugi wasn't the kind of girl to ask for things from her father but there were just some things that she couldn't accomplish on her own.

And with her breath held, she mustered the courage to rap on the door to his study. She said a little, silent prayer before she ventured in with his permission.

"Tsumugi?" her father questioned, a little surprised.

The young Kotobuki hardly ever came by his study unless he requested for her. It really had been a long time since his little girl would wander into his office and climb into his lap, chatting with him in the squeaky voice of a child. She was small enough for him to pick her up and spin her around then. Yes, Mugi hasn't been to her father's office on her own accord for nearly a decade now. Goodness, he missed those times when Mugi still thought the world of him and his wife was still by his side.

The Eurasian man put his pen down, placing all his attention on his daughter.

"Otou-sama," Mugi greeted the man with a bow. He wished she would stop being so formal with him when they weren't dealing with business.

"Yes, Tsumugi?" he asked, not at all unkindly.

"I… I don't mean to trouble you but please have a look at these forms."

He picked up the forms that she left at the corner of his desk before pulling back to where she stood before. Mugi has her hands clasped and held towards her chest – she was nervous. He bit back his disappointment; what sort of a father was he if his only daughter was so anxious around him?

He placed his half-framed reading glasses upon his nose-bridge and set off to work, dark eyes quickly scanning across the page. He read quickly and with ease, accustomed to heavy paperwork and drawing out details from the fine print – by and by, Kotobuki-san was a brilliant businessman equipped with the tools of the trade.

Eventually, he placed the paper down and surveyed his daughter over the top of his glasses. He took a moment to organise his thoughts before inquiring in a firm tone:

"You wish to enrol in a boarding school?"

"Yes, otou-sama," Mugi confessed. "I have placed careful thought in it and I thought it would be for the best."

"Oh?" asked Kotobuki-san, genuinely interested in his daughter's opinion. "Is there anything about the current arrangement that I should be concerned about?"

Her father had picked up his pen and had begun twiddling with it. The action nearly had Mugi giving up; she knew her father well enough to know that he was challenging her.

'_Bargain with me_._'_ She could read it in his eyes.

While Mugi might be more familiar with trade and dealings than most of the peers her age, she was still a greenhorn against her father's vast reserve of experience. The man was good at what he did and he knew it. She couldn't push for a deal with him! Maybe she should just give up and…

No.

This was something she wanted more than anything else at the moment – and if she truly wanted it, she would fight for it.

"The tutors are excellent but I really think that I would benefit from studying away from home."

"Elaborate."

"Besides pushing me to be independent, I think I should at least be a little more familiar with what the education system in the Republic of Greater East Asia is like-"

"Then read a book about it."

"Such experiences call for a familiarity beyond vicarious living, I should think. It would be beneficial to have some semblance of the experience most, if not all, of the people here have gone through – even if it's just for the sake of socialising and building connections."

"And you think the benefits of this move, in the long run, would outweigh the costs of this sudden transfer?"

"I do," Mugi agreed, trying to hide her pounding heart. She had been grasping at straws and she knew that her father was aware of it – and the thought only worsened her anxiety.

Kotobuki-san leaned back in his chair, seriously contemplating things. The reasons Mugi gave him had been weak, probably conjured up right on the spot, but her willingness to push for it was what impressed him. Mugi has never been a forceful one – determined, yes, but she had never been one to try and sway other's opinions so directly. She often opted for more subtle means.

She must really want this.

He heard her release a breath of relief when he nodded, uncapping the pen in hand to place his signature on the dotted line (which Mugi has gone as far as to flag with a translucent yellow sticky note).

"Then go," he acceded, handing the form back to his daughter. "I'll have Saito-san help you prepare your things."

For the first time in a long while, his daughter shed that reserved front that she always carried around him. She let out what sounded like a small squeal of excitement and pulled him in for a tight hug.

And that made it all worth it.

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.

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Fingers grazed across the sheet of print before reaching up to adjust the glasses on its owner's nose.

Manabe Nodoka sighed.

It was the weekend before the school year started and she was at school, putting up the class allocations on the various boards around the school. The other members of the student council were scattered around school, each busy with their assigned tasks.

Nodoka began with the notices for first-years.

She indulged in a small smile when she came across a familiar name; Ui would be glad when she found out that she had made it into the school. It was best for her to take a breather from the small hometown they shared. That smile was short-lived, however.

Nodoka couldn't honestly say that she wasn't worried when she was unable to spot another name amongst the list of freshmen. It looks like Ui wouldn't be able to celebrate properly after all…

After allowing herself that short pause, the dark-haired girl moved on the put up the second-years' class allocation on the indoor noticeboard. Sure, she was disappointed, but what could she do about it? She made a mental note to pick up some sweets after duties let up.

The mature and oftentimes-stoic girl would never admit it but her heart nearly missed a beat when she spotted a very familiar character amongst the many names.

Hirasawa.

She barely had enough time to glance at the student's given name before one of the seniors approached her with a juice box, thanking Nodoka for the hard work and letting her know that it was alright to take a break.

"Thank you, Sokabe-senpai," said Nodoka, accepting the drink after putting the stack of papers down.

As she sipped on the orange juice, Nodoka let her mind wander. There would be a celebration, after all – one that would be much grander than they had expected.

_'Congratulations, Yui.'_

:::


	3. Chapter 3

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc One: _Tsubasa wo Kudasai._

Chapter Three.

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.

.

Mio was getting a little ticked off.

What had started off as the perfect morning to a new school year was quickly making a turn for the sour; the time for morning assembly was looming closer but Mio has spotted neither hide nor hair of Ritsu. Ritsu couldn't possibly have overslept again, could she? The academic year had barely started!

It was then that a passing blur caught her hand and puller her along, ignoring Mio's tiny squeak of surprise. Ritsu has been doing that for years but Mio had never gotten used to it. It took Mio a moment of stumbling before she matched Ritsu's jog and broke free from the grip on her wrist.

"Why were you late?" Mio asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.

"I was stashing the box!" Ritsu retorted, indignant.

Mio, however, was having none of that. "Didn't I tell you to put it away before your roommate came in?"

"I was tired!"

The duo slowed down as they approached the school's grounds, with a good five minutes or so to spare. Ritsu stopped for a bit, giving her friend some time to steady her breathing and run a hand through her slightly-dishevelled hair.

"Besides," Ritsu continued, "I'm not getting a roommate this year. The girl was already in a couple of weeks back but pulled out because she couldn't get used to boarding school life. Come move in with me, Mio."

Mio merely sent Ritsu a glower. Rooming with Ritsu would only mean that she would have to watch out for Ritsu's pranks every other day for the rest of the year. Sure, Ritsu's pranks were only ever in jest but the girl had a problem figuring out where the line was until she had crossed it. Mio's best friend always made it up to her after, of course, but Mio would prefer being able to finish her work in peace.

Ritsu whined and tried to change Mio's mind, even offering to bribe the quieter girl. When that didn't work out, Ritsu went as far as contemplating blackmail – all in jest, of course. That idea was quickly dismissed by a perfectly executed blow on Mio's part. Bantering back and forth, the duo changed into their indoor shoes and headed towards the noticeboard.

"Ah! My name's there – Class 2," said Ritsu. "What about you, Mio?"

Mio could only mumble to herself: "Class 1…"

She looked up to see Ritsu giving her a sympathetic look. Mio scowled in response; she did not need Ritsu's pity – she'll be fine on her own! Still, Ritsu stole over and gripped Mio on the shoulder, making a show of comforting the grey-eyed girl. Of course, the two best friends knew it was all an act.

With crocodile tears flowing, Ritsu said, "Come visit me any time you feel lonely."

"Don't treat me like an elementary school kid," Mio huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Besides, will _you_ be alright being away from me? You can't rely on me for work anymore."

"That is true," Ritsu acceded, rubbing her chin. "Well, looks like I'll just have to find someone new to leech off of!"

The bell rang and the duo started for the hall to welcome the fresh batch of students to Sakuragaoka when something caught Mio's eye. It took a moment before Ritsu realised that Mio had paused in her steps. She turned around and shot Mio a look with raised eyebrows. Mio stood before the noticeboard, looking a little bewildered. Her left hand grazed the sheet of paper before her.

"She's in your class, Ritsu."

"Who?"

"There's a Kotobuki Tsumugi in your class, Ritsu."

Maybe it was just another Kotobuki Tsumugi. After all, they couldn't even be sure if that was how Mugi's name was written in the first place…

Well, as slim as the chances may be, the two girls couldn't help but be a little excited. What were the chances that it would be the Mugi they knew after all?

.

.

.

Yui was surprised to see another girl outside Class 2-2. She was even more amazed to find that the girl was a blonde with blue eyes – it was quite a contrast against the dark-haired and dark-eyed people of the Republic of Greater East Asia.

The girl has a kindly face. Yui couldn't help but want to talk to her.

"Hello," Yui chirped. "I'm Hirasawa Yui. Did you just transfer here, too?"

The girl seemed a little startled at first but recovered a beat later with a smile. She introduced herself and affirmed that she was, indeed, new to the school as well.

"I'm glad to meet you," Yui half-squealed, taking Mugi's hands in her own. "It's a relief to find someone that I would be able to relate to. Let's work together this year, Mugi-chan!"

Yui noted that Mugi instantly perked up at the nickname that Yui used. It seemed like Mugi was a nice person after all; Ui has had to constantly remind Yui that referring to acquaintances in such a casual manner was a little too personal. Yui had always pouted at the advice. The lack of nicknames made everything seem so cold.

It was not long after that the two girls were asked to enter the classroom. Before either girl could even begin with her introduction, a greeting was heard from the crowd before them.

"Yo, Mugi," called a tawny-haired girl with a grin.

The girl was instantly told off by the teacher for being disruptive. Yui struggled to hold in a giggle; the tawny-haired girl seemed nice, too – though in a way that was different from Mugi.

Yui had been a little disappointed when she found out that she was put in a class separate from Nodoka's but she was thankful that she didn't have to repeat the first year of high school. It seemed that she would be fine, though, in such a welcoming class.

.

.

.

The doors to Class 2-2 slid open to reveal two visitors.

"Mio! Over here!" called Ritsu, waving her friend over whilst Yui exclaimed, "Ah! Nodoka-chan!"

The brunette with the shoulder-length hair bounded across the classroom in a heartbeat and tackled the bespectacled girl in a bear hug. Once Nodoka managed to find her balance, she patted Yui's head with a sigh, obviously used to the other girl's antics. Nodoka let herself be led across the room by her arm, which was in Yui's embrace. By then, Mio had already joined the other girls at Ritsu's table.

"This is Nodoka-chan," Yui announced to her newfound friends. "She and I go way back – all the way to our kindergarten days."

"We know Nodoka – she was in mine and Ritsu's class last year," revealed Mio.

Nodoka bowed and greeted the other girls, thanking them for taking care of Yui. The circle of friends then settled down for lunch. It didn't take long before the girls noticed that Ritsu was shovelling food into her mouth at an impossible speed.

"Oi! Slow down or you'll choke."

As usual (much to Mio's chagrin), Ritsu paid no attention to her friend's advice.

"Rushing," the girl gasped in between mouthfuls of food. "The junior cohort is in and I'm supposed to take over distributing the flyers so that my teammate can go have lunch."

"The literature club doesn't have to resort to such extreme measures," said Mio.

"Neither does the student council," Nodoka supplied.

Ritsu chugged down her orange juice and licked her lips before replying, "I know. But do you have any idea how hard it is to convince girls to try out for the soccer team? Sure, we get a couple of really good athletes with experience in the game but that's hardly enough to fill a team after the seniors leave."

Ritsu then stood up, the legs of her chair screeching against the wooden flooring.

"I'm off," she announced. "Catch you all later."

The girls bid Ritsu farewell and continued with their lunch. Mio shook her head at Ritsu's antics but a smile lingered on Mio's lips. That small smile didn't go unnoticed by Mugi. She was a little curious about Ritsu and Mio's friendship but kept her questions to herself. Instead, she asked:

"What club are you planning to join, Yui-chan?"

Yui instantly pouted.

"I don't know… I've never been in any sports or performing arts; and student council seems like a lot of work. I'm not sure if I'll be joining anything, Mugi-chan."

"This is how a NEET is born," Nodoka said.

Now that really caught Yui's attention. Brown eyes widened and Yui's jaw dropped a little in horror. A NEET! It can't be that serious, can it? It was just co-curricular activities, after all. Co-curricular activities couldn't possibly have that much power over her future, right?

"Would I really become a NEET?" Yui asked with her brow knitted. Without waiting for a response from Nodoka, she turned to Mugi. "Maybe I'll join whatever Mugi-chan is joining. Are you planning to go look at any clubs, Mugi-chan?"

Mugi nodded, saying that she planned to visit the choral club. When Mio encouraged her by saying that Mugi's voice sounded suited for the choir, Mugi said that she wasn't sure if she would be singing. She would be glad to play the piano accompaniment for the choral club, or even the drama club.

Yui nodded happily, "You do look like the musician type, Mugi-chan! The piano is amazing; I can only play the castanets!"

After a pause, the peppy girl added in an uncharacteristically wistful tone: "Wouldn't it be great if Sakuragaoka has a light music club?"

:::

_"Let's do it, Mio!" cheered Ritsu, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Let's revive the light music club!"_

_"'The light music club'?" echoed Mio, perplexed. "But I already prepared my application for the literature club."_

_It was a wrong move for Mio to remove the readied application from the safety of her pocket. She had wanted to emphasise that her mind has already been made. She definitely did not expect Ritsu to snatch it from her grasp. In Ritsu's hands, Mio's application was unceremoniously ripped in half – and so was Mio's heart._

_Mio sputtered, overwhelmed by a cocktail of emotions. She was horrified; she was shocked; she felt betrayed. She couldn't find the words to describe how she felt. She– _

_She–_

_She was going to _kill_ Ritsu._

_"Ritsu…" Mio growled in warning, hands clenched into fists._

_The message was clear. Ritsu gulped and hesitated for a moment before deciding to take off. Mio chased the girl, determined to exact her revenge._

_Had things been different in the Republic of Greater East Asia, Mio probably would not have been as assertive as she was. It was in her nature to be afraid of the supernatural and of gory things, yes, but having grown up in the neighbourhood next to one of the worst places in town… It's not as if she had never been caught in a tussle before. Mio could hold her own, as could Ritsu; that was why the dark-haired girl had no qualms about roughing her best friend up a little when Ritsu went overboard with things._

_The two girls eventually ended up catching their breath by the stairs, with Ritsu holding her head after a severe shaking from Mio. Ritsu blinked rapidly; the floor was spinning. Once she was sure that she still had some brains left in her head, Ritsu piped up again:_

_"What do you say, Mio? Let's revive the light music club."_

_Mio resisted the idea, shaking her head adamantly. In a whisper, she retorted, "Our music isn't exactly 'safe', Ritsu."_

_"We can revamp the classics. How about _Tsubasa wo Kudasai_? That's a classic around here, right?"_

_And so they argued._

_Mio argued that there was no one to play the melody. Ritsu suggested Mio sing. When Mio refused, she suggested they look for musicians that could pick up the melody instead._

_Mio wouldn't be able to arrange the piece by herself. Ritsu said she will handle the drums – Mio would only have to worry about her bass line._

_There was no supervising teacher that they could count on, Mio put forward. Ritsu easily countered that she would find a way, whatever means necessary._

_Back and forth, the girls went, throwing arguments at each other. Eventually, Mio agreed – but only if they could secure another two members to meet the minimum membership requirements by the end of the week. Ritsu agreed to those terms with her usual grin, excitement in her amber eyes. If Mio was honest with herself, she was a little eager herself._

_And so, Ritsu waited._

_Ritsu – the girl who did not seem to understand the meaning of patience – had waited. Day in and day out, for a full five days, the girls spent their evenings in the music room, hoping that the next time the doorknob jiggled, it wasn't the groundkeeper reminding them to lock up once they were done._

_Ritsu had waited but no one came._

_By the end of the week, Ritsu painstakingly rewrote Mio's literature club application, going as far as to replicate Mio's handwriting. While she worked, she began to draft her own application for the school's soccer team in her head._

:::

Later that evening found Mio in Ritsu's room, sitting politely at the bottom corner of Ritsu's bed while the other girl was sat backwards on the plastic chair provided. She had come by to let Ritsu know that her new roommate had just moved in and that she was someone that both Ritsu and Mio were familiar with: Mugi. Mio had left the room to give Mugi some privacy while unpacking – that and because she has some ideas to run Ritsu by.

"I thought you were against the idea of restarting the light music club."

"That's not completely true," Mio admitted. "I'm reluctant, yes, but I'm not against it."

"And you're considering it just because Yui brought it up?" Ritsu asked, frowning.

It had taken an awful lot of persuasion on Ritsu's part to get Mio to come around to that idea but she was willing to consider the notion seriously when a girl they barely met brought it up? Man, what was the worth of a best friend these days? Ritsu's feelings were a little hurt but she hid it well; no one from where she grew up made it far wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Where she came from, showing one's hurt was seen as nothing more than a symptom of weakness.

Ritsu shook her head to clear it.

Geez, where were all these thoughts coming from? This was Mio for crying out loud. It was Mio – the girl who stuck by her side through thick and thin. This was the girl that Ritsu counted on to keep her anchored. Ritsu wouldn't think twice about putting herself in trouble for Mio's sake, and she's pretty certain that Mio would do the same for her.

No, Ritsu wasn't jealous. Their friendship was stronger than that.

"I know you don't believe in fate and all that but I think it's a sign," Mio said in a measured tone, biting her lip. She felt a little foolish, appealing to such unreliable notions. "Think about it, Ritsu – the first person to have ever made you reconsider pickpocketing shows up at our school, and she has been playing the piano for ages. And I'm sure Mugi knows how to arrange music, too."

Ritsu remained silent, wordlessly encouraging Mio to go on.

"And Yui… We just met Yui today but all of us just sort of clicked. You know how I am around strangers but I wasn't tense at all this time around, now that I think about it," said Mio. "Sure, Yui might not know how to play an instrument besides the castanets but she could learn if she's willing, couldn't she?"

Ritsu was still. She rested her head on her arms, which in turn, were resting on the backrest of her chair. Her eyes were cast downwards; if Mio didn't know any better, she might have thought that Ritsu was inspecting the pattern of the wooden flooring.

"Are you sure about this, Mio?"

"More than anything else at the moment," replied Mio firmly.

Ritsu nodded.

She would run the other girls by it tomorrow to see if they would want in. It was a little hard to believe that this was happening – it might have only been a year, but it seemed an awfully long time ago that she was the one trying to convince Mio to resurrect the light music club. Was it finally coming true? Her on drums and Mio on the electric bass… It all seemed too good to be true.

Having been deep in thought, Ritsu was a little startled when Mio placed a reassuring hand on Ritsu's shoulder.

"We'll do him proud," Mio claimed, grey eyes bright with determination.

In return, Ritsu nodded once. "There's no doubt about that."

:::


	4. Chapter 4

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc One: _Tsubasa wo Kudasai._

Chapter Four.

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.

.

_"Store-oniichan!" a very familiar voice chirped. The sound of the greeting melded with the chiming of the bell he had tied to the door._

_He straightened himself up and beamed, clapping his hands together to get rid of the dust on them._

_"I've been wondering when the two of you were going to show up," he said by way of greeting._

_The two girls who have just entered his little shop-house were, by far, his favourite customers – and he made no efforts to hide the fact. They reminded him of his younger sisters, and he had practically watched these two grow up since he moved into the neighbourhood a couple of years back. The girls never failed to bring a smile to his face._

_The eight-year-old with the sandy brown hair rushed over to give him a high five. At the very last moment, he brought his open palm to the level of his shoulder – clear above the young girl's head. Ritsu jumped, trying to reach his hand. He couldn't help but chuckle; it was really fun to tease Ritsu because she was such a determined soul. He never would have pulled such a trick on the mild-mannered Mio._

_Speaking of Mio, he tried to inconspicuously offer the timid girl his free hand for a low five. Mio quickly snapped up the opportunity and offered him a grateful smile. They both knew that Ritsu wouldn't hesitate to steal the greeting from Mio if she had noticed._

_"Ha!" Ritsu called out in triumph as she finally managed to slap his hand._

_In truth, he could see that the girl was beginning to tire and had dropped his hand little by little so that she could reach it, but he made a show of groaning in defeat. He tossed a wink at Mio for good measure and the girl giggled into her hands when she figured out his ruse._

_"Okay, okay – you win," he admitted, holding his hands up in a placating manner. "So, what can I get for you today?"_

_The little girl rattled out her order and he rushed to put it together. Ritsu had some spare change left after getting her mother's groceries; he told her to milk it for its worth at the _dagashi_ store down the street. The little opportunist, however, tried to cut a deal with him._

_"I'll spend it here if you'll cut me a good deal," Ritsu announced. "Please, onii-chan?"_

_He shook his head, chuckling. That girl – he was always letting her walk all over him._

_The young man shrugged and prepared to negotiate with the young girl, bantering the way an older brother would with his sister._

:::

The letter was sealed in a brown paper envelope, looking every bit like the piece of formal document that it was.

The girl whom the letter was handed to sighed, looking up at the figure still bent in a deep bow before her. She ran her fingers through her ponytail. It was a habit that she had wanted to kick for a long time coming but had never gotten around to actually getting rid of it.

The figure before her dared to steal a glance with her amber eyes before looking back towards the ground.

"Is there really no way that I can convince you to stay, Tainaka?" the captain of the soccer team asked, half-tempted to just reject the membership withdrawal letter right where she stood.

Ritsu shook her head.

"What are we going to do without our star midfielder?" asked the captain. "You know, you're the most likely to be elected team captain next year if you stay. You've got great potential, and I can always recommend you for the position when I step down."

"I'm sorry, captain. I love soccer – I really do – but I've always wanted to play a real instrument, you know?" the resigning midfielder offered.

The captain sighed once more and relented: "I know; I've heard you on the harmonica a couple of times. You love soccer but you love music more, yeah?"

The second-year student didn't even have to reply. The captain let her shoulders slump for a moment before giving Ritsu a firm nod.

"Well, then," the older girl announced, "resignation accepted."

Ritsu squeezed in yet another apology before leaving. She was jogging partway down the field and towards the bleachers when the captain called out.

"All the best, Tainaka!"

Without slowing down, Ritsu held a thumbs-up high above her head as a sign of acknowledgement.

.

.

.

"I still can't believe that you went ahead and quit the literature club," said Ritsu to Mio. "Then again, I never understood why you'd join a club that does homework as its club activity–"

"There's more to it than that!" Mio defended, folding her arms across her chest with a huff.

The four girls were congregated in Ritsu's room, which has become sort some of an unofficial clubhouse to them. It would have been easier for them to gather at Mio and Mugi's room (what a pleasant surprise that was) but Ritsu's room was more spacious, seeing as the girl did not have a roommate. Mugi was listening to the two best friends go back and forth while Yui was distracted by the snacks.

They had planned to get together and discuss the direction they wanted the light music club to take. Ritsu had already applied to form a new club and the results were pending. The goals they had set for the night seemed a little ambitious when all they've done so far was engage in idle chitchat.

"Ano," Yui mumbled out of the blue, still nibbling on a stick of Pocky, "I think it's a good idea – rearranging classical songs, I mean."

The girls were a little surprised by how on-task Yui was but hid it well. They've only known Yui for a week but that was more than enough time to clue them in that the brunette could be a little scatter-brained and klutzy. Yui's light-hearted and innocent personality made up for it, though – well, mostly.

Ritsu nodded approvingly at Yui's remark, glad that someone was agreeing to her idea. "Thank you, private."

"No problem, captain."

Mio resisted the urge to pull a slap her forehead in exasperation; the little running gag between the two brunettes was getting old. Instead, she turned to face Mugi and asked:

"If we do that, would you arrange the music for us, Mugi? I can help out, too."

"It wouldn't be a problem, Mio-chan," said the blonde with a brief, beatific smile. "Although… I'm not sure if we'll manage to convince a teacher to be our supervisor."

"We will be," Ritsu interjected with a firm nod. "Don't worry about that, Mugi – let's worry about the music first. We can't be the light music club if we haven't any music."

"And besides," added Yui in her usual optimistic chirrup, "Sawachan-sensei is a good person. She might help us out."

_'Sawachan-sensei,'_ thought Ritsu, brow furrowed. A corner of her mouth twitched. _'What is up with Yui and all these nicknames?'_

Mio was quick to remind them that the most pressing issue was Yui's instrument – or, more accurately, the lack thereof. Logically speaking, the instrument that they would most likely need to complete their band would be a guitar. And while the brunette wasn't opposed to the idea, there was a snag in their plans: who was going to teach Yui the guitar? Being a bassist, it would seem like Mio was the most suited for the role of a guitar teacher but Mio could only provide Yui with the basics. The bass and the guitar were similar but they were different instruments that required different skills…

Ritsu flopped to the ground in defeat, groaning for them to pick up the discussion some other time. Their entire discussion seemed to consist of one problem after another and there never seemed to be a good enough solution for them. It's killing her enthusiasm – and their application hasn't even been approved yet, for goodness' sake!

That last remark earned a blow to the head from Mio. The raven-haired girl was not too pleased by how Ritsu had pushed her to withdraw from the literature club shortly after Ritsu quit the soccer team herself. At the time, Ritsu hadn't even completed the application form and had to be reminded by Nodoka to get it in soon.

It wasn't long before Ritsu's guests retreated back to their rooms. Yui was the first to leave, saying that Ui had sent her a reminder not to stay up too late. Mugi and Mio had taken it as a cue to leave as well. Just as she was leaving, Mio paused by the door and said:

"I can't believe it. The light music club – it's actually happening."

"Yeah, it is. We'll make sure of it."

.

.

.

Elsewhere, a high school student was out prowling about the masses that brought the late city nights to life. It couldn't possibly be safe for such a young (and seemingly defenceless) girl to be out so late – unless she knew her way around the underground music circles, that is.

The girl sighed and lowered the case of her instrument to the ground while she rested.

The crowd pushed on around her. Some bumped into her with a quickly-muttered apology. She couldn't blame them; the place was packed to the brim. Bottlenecked, she supposed, would be a better descriptor for the traffic situation here.

"Ain't got a gig tonight?"

The girl's gaze snapped up to find a bunch of girls not much older than she was. She knew them; she had run into them a couple of times before. Heck, she had collaborated with them a couple of times.

"Not unless you have a job for me," the girl replied.

One of the girls smirked. She ran a hand through her cropped hair, bringing attention to her pierced left ear.

"I like you; you're straight to the point and all business. Well, here's the deal–"

It was the wee hours of the morning when the girl finally arrived home. She made quick work of shimmying up the pipe with practiced ease, quiet as a mouse the entire time. She got ready for bed and tucked herself in, thankful that it was not a weekday.

She was no stranger to sneaking in and out.

Everyone else in the building was most likely fast asleep, none the wiser about the girl's adventures.

And that was the way she planned to keep things.

.

.

.

"Onee-chan, it's time to get up!" Ui called.

In response, Yui curled herself up even tighter.

She whined, "But it feels like I've only just gone to bed, Ui~"

The younger sister stifled a sigh and approached the Yui-shaped mass of blankets. She sat at the edge of the bed, gently shaking Yui to wake up the older girl.

"It's time to wake up, onee-chan, or we'll be late for school. You can go to bed early tonight to catch up on your sleep," reasoned Ui.

Yui reluctantly stretched and sat up. Ui was right; Ui may be the younger sister but she was the mature one out of the two of them. Yui was more than fine with that. She didn't mind playing the naïve and helpless older sister. Giving Ui someone to dote on let Ui take her mind off things.

The older sister shuffled her way to the washroom to get ready for school, giving Ui a word of thanks and a hug before that. Yui made a show of rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and smiled when Ui giggled.

The younger Hirasawa sister rewarded herself with a half-minute break before deciding to make Yui's bed. It was during that break that Ui noticed that the window was ajar. She shook her head and reached over to shut the window fast.

Her older sister could get a little forgetful at times.

.

.

.

The end of the week found Mio, Mugi and Yui eagerly waiting outside the staffroom. The tension in the atmosphere was high. Each girl was leaned towards the door, just shy from outright eavesdropping. They could hear Ritsu's muffled voice from where they stood but none of them were able to make out the direction of the conversation.

Mio was picking at her fingers; the fingers of her left hand were busy tampering with the thickened skin on her right. It couldn't possibly be good for her to be peeling away at the hard-earned callouses. Yui's brown eyes flickered to Mio's hands, then up to her face, and then quickly away. Perhaps Mio wasn't aware of her little nervous habit.

Yui then stole a glance at Mugi. The young lady was, apparently, a lip-biter. She carried herself like a character straight out a comic book. An oujou-sama, Yui decided once she spotted Mugi's folded hands rested against the blonde's (ample) chest and her demure posture – and it all suited Mugi's image. Well, except for the lip biting, maybe. The brunette had never noticed that bit about her friend before...

Yui caught herself staring and shook her head to gather her focus again. Neither of her friends had noticed her behaviour. Good.

She leaned in closer to the door. Her hands were sweaty. Her heart was hammering a staccato beat in her ribcage. Yui was wondering if her heart was beating the quarter notes to a four-four time signature when the door opened all of a sudden. The brunette wasn't the only one to yelp at the surprise.

Her fellow brunette was solemn. It was weird to see Ritsu in such a downcast mood, paper envelope in hand. Yui couldn't even find the words to cheer her friend up. Mugi was at a loss of words as well. It was Mio who finally piped up after Ritsu gently closed the door behind her.

"Hey…" said Mio, "It's alright–"

It was then that Ritsu broke character and flashed the three girls the brightest grin they've ever seen.

"We're in. It's official; we're the light music club," announced Ritsu, swelling with a pride that deflated soon enough when Mio clobbered the girl for scaring the rest of them half out of their wits.

Yui couldn't help but beam. It was coming true. The light music club…

Just like in her dream.

:::


	5. Chapter 5

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc One: _Tsubasa wo Kudasai._

Chapter Five.

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.

.

Nakano Azusa had barely returned from the cafeteria when a russet-haired girl grabbed her by the arm and dragged her across the classroom.

"H-hey!" the petite girl cried indignantly to deaf ears. She sighed. She had learned that it was best to just go along with whatever Jun did when the bassist was excited.

"Hey, Ui," Jun said, greeting one of Azusa's new classmates. "This is Nakano Azusa – an amazing guitarist I met at the jazz club. This girl has really got some skills."

Ui… That's right. Hirasawa-san.

"Pleased to meet you, Hirasawa-san," greeted Azusa with a bow.

Ui returned the greeting in kind and insisted that Azusa just called her 'Ui' like Jun does. Azusa consented but found it odd nonetheless. Everyone here was just so informal. Back in middle school, being on a first name basis was an intimacy only close friends shared. More often than not, she was addressed as 'Nakano' – and she had grown accustomed to that.

The three girls engaged in small talk for a bit before Azusa noticed that Jun was sneaking nudges at Ui. Azusa raised an eyebrow but her curiosity went unnoticed by her new acquaintances.

"Go on, Ui, ask her!" Jun whisper-yelled, completely oblivious to the fact that the guitarist could hear Jun's coaxing perfectly well.

"Ask me what?"

At least Jun had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Umm," Ui began hesitantly. "I was wondering if you could please give me some pointers about getting a guitar. My sister's getting one, you see."

Now that caught Azusa's attention.

While guitars were not altogether banned in the Republic of Greater East Asia, owning one was frowned upon – and especially so if it was an electric guitar. Following some complications with the Battle Royale programme a couple of years back, rock music has come to be seen as an icon of rebellion. For a little while, an electric guitar was seen as a hallmark of alliance with the rebel movement. The air about electric guitars cleared up not too long ago but the stigma never went away – electric guitarists just had to be careful of the sort of music they played. Jazz was an acceptable genre and that was what Azusa played most of the time.

Of course, Azusa was getting ahead of herself. She wasn't sure if Ui's sister was even looking for an electric guitar in the first place.

Deep in thought, Azusa hadn't even realised that she pulled a chair up to Ui's desk. She remained in that chair for the remainder of their lunch break. By the end of it, she had promised to drop by the music room with Ui sometime in the future, when the light music club was ready.

The light music club… That would be interesting, wouldn't it?

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As the last couple of notes dissipated into the air, Mio couldn't help but frown. She could hear Ritsu's foot tapping erratically on the wooden flooring; the bassist was actually pretty surprised that the other girl didn't start growling outright. Frustration was rolling off the resident drummer in waves, and that just added to the dissatisfaction shared by the newly-minted club's members.

"Ano," Mugi tried, "I thought it was a pretty good run."

And it was.

It was the first club session and they ran through their arrangement of _Tsubasa wo Kudasai_. It was good to know that they clicked. Mugi was an ace at the keyboard, being the most experienced of the musicians. While Mio and Ritsu didn't receive formal training for their instruments, they could hold their own. They planned to get Yui an instrument soon but they got the brunette to lead vocals for the time being. Yui's sugary sweet voice was a pretty good match for their light-hearted interpretation of the song.

It was a pretty good run but–

"There's still something missing," said Mio. "We really need to get Yui a guitar quick."

"Can't she play the harmonica or something in the meantime?" Ritsu suggested, slipping her harmonica out of her pocket.

"But I don't know how to play the harmonica!"

"Besides that," added Mio, "Yui wouldn't be able to sing and play the harmonica at the same time. The rest of our instruments would drown out the sound of the harmonica anyway."

"I'm so sorry for being a burden!" Yui exclaimed with a bow.

Ritsu removed her hairband and ran a hand through her tawny locks before setting her hairband back into place.

"No, _I'm_ sorry, Yui – I really didn't mean it like that," the self-elected president apologised. "I was just a little caught up in the excitement of things. You sang great, by the way. Good job to everyone, too."

Quick to try and diffuse the situation, Mugi suggested a tea break. That instantly cheered Yui up. Ritsu and Mio flashed her grateful smiles as well.

"You know what? Let's get part time jobs so Yui can get her guitar pronto," the _buchou_ suggested out of nowhere. "We might as well start early – electric guitars aren't very cheap."

"No, they aren't," agreed Mio, shaking her head. "It's even more expensive to get one without getting traced."

It was true. To get a guitar the legal way was much like applying for the rights to carry firearms in the country – not that citizens of the Republic of Greater East Asia were allowed firearms at all, of course. Owning a guitar was suspicious in the country; a government servant would drop by once in a while to have a 'friendly chat' about the guitar owner's musical direction.

Ritsu and Mio's own instruments were pretty controversial as well. Shivers still attacked Mio whenever she thought about her journey into the shady parts of town to buy her bass. Thank goodness Ritsu went with her. It was… unsettling, to say the least, but that only made her cherish their friendship and her bass more.

"It's settled, then. From now on, we'll be job-hunting," announced Ritsu with a nod of her head, fist raised in determination.

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Saturday afternoon found the girls having a picnic. Mugi was putting away the things and Yui was napping. Mio and Ritsu were sprawled on the picnic blanket, cloud-gazing.

"Man, this really is an occupational ailment," Ritsu muttered as her fingers twitched to the passing clouds overhead.

"I know, right?" Mio agreed, her own thumb moving in a clicking action by reflex. All of a sudden, the dark-haired girl sat straight up. "Mugi! Please take the next shift with me."

Mugi was a little startled by Mio's request but agreed. She couldn't help but wonder why, though.

"It's because Ritsu keeps goofing off–"

"Hey! I'm right here!"

Yui cracked an eye open and smiled before shifting into a more comfortable position. These really were some happy days, huh?

She was excited to finally get a guitar, and was grateful that her friends were willing to help her out with it. Yui couldn't help but worry, however: what if she couldn't get the guitar she wanted?"

"Here!" said Ritsu cheerily as she shoved an envelope towards Yui.

It was Sunday evening and the girls were done with their job of observing traffic. Each of the girls handed their pay to Yui, as was the plan. To their surprise, Yui shook her head and handed them their respective envelopes back. The brunette was grateful for her friends' kindness but taking their money like that… No, she couldn't do it.

"I really enjoyed working with everyone," said Yui with a smile on her face and a small bow.

"Then let's get another job together!" Ritsu exclaimed. She sent a look towards their bassist, saying, "You know what I'm talking about, right, Mio? Are you okay with that?"

Ritsu couldn't help but crack a relieved smile when Mio agreed.

They filled their friends in on the job Ritsu had in mind. It was nothing fancy: it was just a waitressing job at a place near their school. They're free to come and leave their dorm whenever, so the night shift would not be a problem at all. And besides, the entertainment was cool and the pay was good.

The only snag that Ritsu and Mio worried over was that the place wasn't exactly the most straight-cut place around, and Mugi and Yui were probably the sweetest, most naïve girls they knew. If the other girls agreed to it, Mio and Ritsu would have to keep an eye out for them.

In spite of the warning, their newfound friends agreed.

"We can start right away," Ritsu grinned, looking towards the rapidly darkening sky. "The owner and I are pretty familiar with one another. It wouldn't be a problem."

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School, then homework, then work – that was the daily routine the girls found themselves in. Instead of playing music whenever they congregated in the music room, they helped each other with their homework so that their nights are freed up for work. Mugi learned that it was best to have tea and sweets on hand, eventually leaving the tea set in the room when they left. Yamanaka-sensei was busy with the wind ensemble club and hardly came by; they were just thankful that she agreed to vouch for them as an advisor.

Their nights were spent working at _Izakaya_, a drinking establishment with an uncreative name… Or so it seemed. While _Izakaya_ looked like a typical after-work drinking premise, it was the basement of the place where things got lively. Few people knew of the basement level of _Izakaya_, and those who did were the sort to be fine with it. It was there that the girls were employed, being a little young to be serving drinks out in the open and all. With recommendations from Mio and Ritsu, Yui and Mugi joined Mio's ranks as waitresses. Ritsu, on the other hand, had recently promoted to being a bartender.

When asked how the girls came to know about this place, Ritsu merely shrugged, saying that her and Mio has had their fair share of being tight on money while away from home.

The girls worked hard. On weekdays, their shift ended about an hour before midnight but they worked till the doors close on Fridays and Saturday. It was their workplace that has Yui and Mugi wondering about Ritsu and Mio's past.

Ritsu and Mio weren't amateurs at their instruments, despite the controversy surrounding such instruments. And _Izakaya_ was famous despite its unsuspecting face – _Izakaya_ was a hub for underground music.

In contrast to the clean and sharp look of the upper floors, the basement was dimmed. Most of the lighting was focused on the stage set up against one of the walls. The walls, in turn, were mostly naked; the sight of the soundproof padding lent security to the patrons of the place.

And the place was _wild_.

The underground portion of _Izakaya_ was never quiet. There were live performances every other night. Besides the noisy chattering of customers getting sloshed, bids for instruments were frequently called out. While _Izakaya_ was not the place Mio and Ritsu had in mind when discussing where to get Yui's instrument, Yui wasn't opposed to buying her instrument through the auctions held at her workplace.

Everything was going well… until _he_ appeared.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Mio muttered bitterly and quirked her eyebrows in a certain direction. She had been helping Ritsu wipe down the bar.

Ritsu pulled a face. "Ugh, this place is too classy for the likes of him. And I was under the impression that he was banned from this place after that last stunt he pulled. Was I mistaken?"

"It was only a temporary suspension," Mio replied, with her nose wrinkled.

When Mugi came by to replenish her tray, Ritsu blurted out a request before she could stop herself.

"Are you an idiot?" Mio whisper-yelled at her friend when she noticed Mugi heading to that one particular table; it was hard not to notice, seeing that the table was supposed to be under Mio's section. "You sent Mugi their way?"

"I'm sorry– I wasn't thinking straight! Hell, I don't think I was even thinking at all! I know that you'd hate to have to approach him and I asked Mugi to cover for you before I even realised what I did," Ritsu gushed. "Don't worry though; I'll keep an eye out for her. I promise–"

The cry was barely audible but Ritsu heard it nonetheless. In a swift movement, Ritsu leapt over the bar top and sped towards the table.

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"What the hell do you think you're doing, bastard?" Ritsu roared, pulling Mugi behind her. "Not everything is yours to touch as you please, you know."

Iwada Takumi only sneered before raising a drink up to his lips. He drank slowly, thoroughly enjoying the taste of his sake and the sight of the riled up bartender. Maybe he could push a couple more of her buttons…

"My, my, what horrible manners you have. I'll definitely be having a word with the management about–"

"And _I_ can assure _you_ that the management won't be pleased to hear about your blatant disrespect for their employees," retorted the pint-sized teen, crossing her arms over her chest. It was an aggressive stance that she adopted, with her feet planted shoulder's width apart and chin angled. "I don't think they're that quick to forget all that shit you pulled. And to think that you used to be able to pull off the whole 'nice guy' act, huh, Iwada?"

He could see Shiraishi shift slightly in his peripheral vision. Out of the three young men, Shiraishi was arguably the meekest. Takumi knew that his friend had spotted Takumi's pursed lips and fisted hands; he allowed himself a moment to put on a mask of nonchalance, making to shoot Shiraishi a reassuring look in the process.

"It wasn't an act, Tainaka – things changed when you went ahead and stole my girl, you little dyke."

There it was. He had tried his best to keep the bitterness out of his voice but it showed. Akita, seated on Takumi's right, shot Takumi a look which he promptly ignored. The air in _Izakaya _dropped to frigid temperatures. Sensing the sudden surge in tension, the blonde waitress wisely tugged at the bartender's pushed-up sleeves, trying to pull the shorter girl away. Word by word, the Ritsu enunciated:

"What did you just call me?"

The dangerous undertone could not be ignored. Even Narutaki, the most aloof of Takumi's four-man cell, leaned forward ever so slightly.

Takumi wouldn't dare… Would he?

"A dyke – that's what you are, aren't you?"

Narutaki merely sighed whereas Akita pulled a face-palm outright. Takumi really has taken leave of his senses; he was too caught up in getting a rise out of the tawny-haired girl that he completely missed the warning signs. All of them knew that Tainaka Ritsu was no master at self-control – and that she wasn't one to hold back if her berserk button was pushed.

By then, the girl's hands were already fisted at her sides.

The drummer was poised to strike when a hand wrapped itself firmly around her wrist. Takumi's grin faltered for a second – he had been looking to pick a fight but it looked like he wouldn't be getting one. He recovered his countenance soon enough.

"Good to see you, Mio," the man greeted the dark-haired waitress with faux cordiality. "Good to see you've got your little butch–" he said before emulating the cracking of a whip.

Mio scoffed.

"Come on, Ritsu. Leave him be," she said. "And I'm sorry you had to go through that, Mugi. I'll take over from here."

Mio had to tug Ritsu away by the wrist but Ritsu's glare never faltered. Takumi snorted.

"Fool," Narutaki hissed, punching Takumi in the arm.

Akita took the opportunity to assert: "You just can't keep a straight head when it comes to stuff dealing with Akiyama Mio, can you?"

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She found Ritsu and Mugi with their little fingers locked in a pinkie promised when she returned to get more drinks. Mio shook her head, smiling a little to herself. Mugi's childlike innocence was adorable, and she knew Ritsu was one to go along with her friends' whims. The scene was heart-warming but it only eased Mio of her foul mood a little.

"You two seem to be getting along well," Mio commented flippantly, plucking a couple of glass bottles from the fridge.

Ritsu shrugged, freeing her hands and going back to wiping down the counter. She said, "I was just apologizing, right, Mugi?"

"Good," Mio approved. "You've put Mugi through a fair bit of trouble."

Mugi held her hands up in a placating gesture and was just about to speak when Yui brisk-walked over. She looked frazzled, with her eyes widened and mouth slightly agape. Her hands tightened around Ritsu's sleeve. The drummer couldn't help but wonder what was it with people and tugging on her clothes…

"Ne, Ricchan, do you– do you believe in love at first sight?"

Surprised by the awe in her friend's voice, Ritsu followed the girl's gaze and found an auction being set up in the far corner of the place.

On one of the stands was a Gibson Les Paul Traditional in Heritage Cherry Sunburst. The leader of the light music club traded looks with Mio, then Mugi, and nodded.

That was it. That was Yui's guitar.

:::


	6. Chapter 6

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc One: _Tsubasa wo Kudasai._

Chapter Six.

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"So what's the plan, Private?" Ritsu asked Yui.

The four girls were huddled together, trying to come up with modus operandi to get Yui her guitar. Yui's eyebrows were knitted and she shook her head, a confused look plastered on her face. She diverted the question to Mio, who promptly spoke up.

"If we offer half of what we've earned so far, the jump would be large enough to deter those who aren't serious…"

"What do you girls say?" asked Ritsu, nodding approvingly at Mio's plan. When no one rejected the idea, the leader took it upon herself to call their offered price.

Immediately after, a familiar voice called out a slightly higher price.

And so it went, round after round. Every single time the girl raised the price, they got one-upped. Ritsu was beyond peeved. Even Mugi and Yui, both good-natured girls who didn't have a history with the young man, were a little irked. Mio, who had been trying her very best to keep her cool, was furious.

Mio's hands formed fists in her lap. She knew his game.

"That bastard," she muttered under a breath. "Why would he even need this guitar? He's left-handed, for goodness' sake!"

"He just wants to hold it above our heads," Ritsu growled. "Gosh, is he just being immature or what?"

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"You can't be serious, Iwada," groaned Akita, running a hand over his face in exasperation.

Narutaki Yuuhei raised an eyebrow and allowed himself a small snort. Iwada might be his friend but it could not be denied that Iwada was doing a pretty good job at being an asshole. Narutaki (for he preferred to be known by his family name) knew exactly what was up with the de facto leader of their group; Iwada was just being spiteful towards the little group of four girls bidding for the Les Paul.

He passed of his little snort as a cough, and hid it by taking a mouthful of beer.

The quiet young man knew that the girls didn't stand a chance. Iwada had money on his side. Money didn't make the world go round but it sure as hell made a difference.

"Sold!" announced the facilitator once he realised that Iwada's bid remained unchallenged.

And the moment those words left the man's lips, a pair of hands slammed audibly upon the table top from somewhere within the room. "Damn that Takumi!"

The girls had been robbed of a guitar all because of a grudge.

The percussionist's dark eyes were stuck on Iwada's back as he watched his fellow musician saunter across the room under the pretence of cutting the girls a deal. Narutaki did not bother hiding the disapproval of his stern gaze from the rest of the group.

The eldest in the band shook his head. He didn't like this at all.

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"First round: Drums – Narutaki versus Tainaka."

Dark brown eyes narrowed just a slight bit before its owner sauntered up on stage. As he had thought, Iwada had bought the guitar to taunt the girls. The girls would have to play against _Blue Zone_, instrument against instrument, to win the guitar, Iwada had proposed. It may seem like a generous offer but Narutaki (along with Akiyama and Tainaka, or so it seemed from the looks on their faces) knew that Iwada was just jumping at the opportunity to ridicule the greenhorn band.

Narutaki took his time getting onto the makeshift stage. When offered the coin, he rejected it. His opponent frowned; it was customary for the challenging party to toss the coin after the party being challenged claimed their favoured side. Narutaki merely shrugged and told her to pick whatever she liked, making sure to send a stern look Iwada's way. He could tell that Iwada received the message despite the indifferent look on the latter's face. The girl, however, repaid Narutaki's chivalry with a doubting look.

Tainaka decided on having no backing – it was just a battle of percussion. Once she was ready, the female drummer set off at a slow but even pace. Once he got a hang of her pattern, Narutaki joined in with a steady rhythm from his ride cymbal. Every eight bars or so, Tainaka would pull a roll, he noticed. Her playing had the energy of a rock drummer but it followed the default pattern of a generic pop song.

As simple as it was, it was still a beat that the crowd could groove to. He could see heads bobbing in the crowd to the beat of Tainaka's kick drum. She favoured the snare and toms, it seemed – she had yet to cut off Narutaki's addition to her playing.

He also noticed that, little by little, Tainaka's rhythm was speeding up, and that it was too messy to be intentional. In throwing herself into the song, she let her excitement seep into her playing. Pouring herself into the performance was a good idea, Narutaki knew, because that was what allowed Tainaka to connect with her audience. Yet, it was definitely not a good idea to rush. Most of the crowd that frequented underground _Izakaya_ was made up of seasoned musicians; they would know if Tainaka was rushing through – and that was really quite a blow. The crowd was the one to name the victor of the little musical showdown; losing their support was like shooting oneself in the foot.

As subtly as he could, Narutaki raised the volume of his playing. He inched his way into the forefront of the percussion line, forcing Tainaka to follow his lead instead. Perhaps it would help Tainaka regain her rhythm, perhaps it wouldn't. What was for sure was that Narutaki won't be throwing the match just because he wasn't a fan of Iwada's decisions – he had too much pride as a musician to do that.

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He executed his rolls with perfect timing, Ritsu noted. The high school student was both impressed and a little irked by her competitor's prowess. As a fellow percussionist, she could appreciate Narutaki's skill. It was the idea of losing that was getting to her.

A bead of sweat trickled its way from her temple and down her cheek. She could feel the droplet clinging uncomfortably to her chin, tickling her a little. Yet, she didn't dare wipe it away; Ritsu couldn't take the risk of jeopardising her playing by engaging in such an insignificant action. Sure, it was uncomfortable but Ritsu would make do. She did what she did best when faced with adversity: power through it.

But her body wasn't ready for the rigour of such playing.

Three minutes of playing in her usual manner was easy for her. Ritsu had played along to many tracks after all, and a song lasted about three minutes on average.

Five minutes of non-stop playing, however, tested Ritsu's stamina. A little past what she gauged to be the five minute mark, an ache began to settle in her arms and feet. She wasn't too concerned about that, though – she knew that the pain would soon give way to numbness of sorts. No, Ritsu was more worried about hitting a different kind of wall.

It was no secret to those who knew her that Ritsu did not have the greatest attention span – and that meant that it wouldn't be long before she would screw up her pace.

In contrast, Narutaki was excellent at keeping a steady beat.

If she couldn't keep her counting straight, Narutaki was in position to beat her.

She knew her playing was getting sloppy, and that frustrated her. Narutaki might be a stoic but his playing seemed to taunt her. _It's all about control,_ it seemed to say – _control that you're obviously lacking._

Pearly whites gnashed in frustration. Ritsu was helpless when Narutaki brought his sticks down in a resolute crash, effectively ending the session. She didn't even get a chance to recover.

As always, there was applause for the brave souls who dared venture on stage. Ritsu knew she had lost, however, when only a smattering of claps sounded for her when the hand of the emcee hovered above her head. She very nearly gritted her teeth in frustration at the overwhelming response that Narutaki got. The brunette didn't want to appear a case of sour grapes – and she didn't mean to, either; she was more frustrated by not being good enough than losing to the more seasoned drummer.

Ritsu got off her stool and offered to shake hands with Narutaki. He responded with a respectably firm handshake and that was that.

_Tainaka versus Iwada: 0 – 1._

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"Hey, it's okay," Mio said, patting Ritsu on the back when the drummer made her way through the crowd and back to the company of her friends.

"I'm fine," Ritsu tried to reassure Mio.

Mio nearly scoffed; did Ritsu really think Mio would buy that? Before Mio could say a thing, however, the emcee announced that round two was about to begin.

With her stormy eyes fixed on the stage, Mio's only thought was: _'All the best, Mugi.'_

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The blonde pianist was playing against Shiraishi. This time around, both competitors looked equally nervous and excited. Shiraishi himself was new to the whole underground music scene as well. He actually joined Iwada's band to replace his cousin once his cousin left for university. He could not let _Blue Zone_ down – not when it was his cousin who had founded in the first place. And besides, being the youngest member of the group fuelled his determination to prove his worth.

They flipped a coin and the pick went to Shiraishi. He licked his lips and chose a track. It was a song the young man was very familiar with – he was sure to be able to put on a good show. The dark-haired lad sent his opponent an apologetic smile. Shiraishi really didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings but he couldn't just lose, either.

The boy held nothing back and started out strong. He immediately noticed that the girl opposite him wasn't doing much more than observing for the first couple of bars. But it certainly didn't take her long before she supported his parts with chords to give the song a fuller sound. Shiraishi was at least a little impressed; she had caught on much faster than he thought she would. He was very much aware that the chords of the song did not quite follow the much-exhausted pattern of a generic pop song. This clued him in that the girl he was up against was definitely experienced.

The keyboardist knew he was good; after all, his cousin wouldn't just select anyone to succeed him as the band's keyboardist. The thing about it was that Shiraishi was relatively new to the instrument. He was excellent at it (and it seemed to run in the family) but he never really learned how to play the keyboard besides what his cousin taught him and sneaking a few piano lessons in behind his parents' backs. He could only hope to hide his inexperience by choosing a song that allowed him to display the best of his playing.

He was surprised to find that the blonde never did try to overshadow him. Not even once. For the entirety of the song, she let him take the reins, supporting him to the best of her abilities. When he messed up at a particular quick bit, she tried to cover up for him; when he went in to take a riff, she stopped playing so that the best of his skills were put on show. She stayed in the background and supported his playing. That was really odd…

It was only towards the end of the song when she began to weave in an unknown melody. The sound was definitely classical, and it was much muted – yet, it was a perfect fit. The sly girl was making this a mash-up. She never did overthrow his playing with hers but it was getting steadily pronounced. And it really was quite lovely…

And just when he thought he would soon be distracted by the charming melody she introduced, she reverted back to her supporting role and placed Shiraishi in the spotlight again.

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She was thrumming with energy. Mugi had never felt more alive than when the crowd went wild for her. Her heart was beating – no, _pounding_ in her ears. She could feel the beads of perspiration making their way down to her jaw. She was probably flushed and a little dishevelled – which was really improper of a young lady like the Kotobuki heiress – but she couldn't care less. It was exhilarating. She absolutely loved it.

Mugi hasn't felt such a rush from performing live since her first recital.

Her legs wobbled, a little overwhelmed. When the emcee raised a hand over her opponents head, the response that Shiraishi-san got was more than decent. She sent the young man a smile, congratulating him silently. He smiled right back, albeit a little bashful.

The blonde pianist would never have expected the raucous applause that sounded for her. She could tell that Ritsu was the first to pierce the air with a whistle for her. Once that started, cheers and many more whistles followed. Mugi's heart swelled in her chest.

What surprised her the most, however, was that Shiraishi-san was _clapping_ for her – casting his vote for her – and smiling warmly as he did. If a pink tone hadn't already settled on Mugi's face, it certainly would have now. It was such an honour, more so than merely being crowned the winner of the round.

Mugi bowed to audience before leaving the stage, humbled and honoured by the response. She hasn't performed in public for quite a spell – not since achieving her diploma in piano, at least.

For the first time in a really long while, Mugi thought she might be able to fall in love with performing all over again.

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Mio barely had time to congratulate Mugi before Ritsu started nudging her towards the stage. The raven-haired girl frowned. One of her hands was placed on her side, over the spot that was rather sore from Ritsu's elbowing. Mio really did not appreciate that gesture.

She sighed through the pick in her mouth. But that was Ritsu for her, alright; that habit of her best friend hasn't changed since their younger days, and Mio would not expect it to any time soon.

The bassist casually removed the locks of hair caught under the strap and flicked them over her shoulder, revelling in the comforting weight of the electric bass guitar slung on her frame. And though the bass she was holding at the moment wasn't her own, having such a familiar instrument in her hands helped with her pre-show jitters. If she was honest with herself, she had found it a pleasant surprise that the establishment had a left-handed instrument on hand. Mio was truly impressed; she had worried that she might have to make do with a right-handed bass for this performance. In her relief, she allowed herself a small smile.

"It's an honour to be able to play the bass with you again, Mio-san."

The small smile Mio allowed herself grew into a warm one. It was nice to know that Akita Daisuke was still as well-mannered as she remembered.

"The honour is all mine," replied Mio. The barest hint of playfulness touched Mio's smile.

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"Mio-chan looks comfortable around guy on the bass," Yui chirped her observation.

Ritsu nodded. "Akita's a pretty decent guy, actually. Well, now that I think about it, most of the guys of _Blue Zone_ are."

The drummer then threw a glance at the leader of the opposing band. Iwada Takumi was staring at the stage with rapt attention. Ritsu could tell that he was getting worried; it appeared as if he hadn't expected Mugi to be quite so good. They were tied now: _Tainaka versus Iwada 1 – 1_. Ritsu shook her head, a sympathetic smile on her lips.

Her attention returned to the stage when the emcee announced that Mio won the coin toss. Ritsu could already tell which song Mio was going to pick; it was the least she could take away from being best friends with Mio for goodness knows how many years now. When the opening notes of the song sounded, Ritsu couldn't help but indulge in a smug grin. She had been right. This was so Mio.

On stage, Akita chuckled. It was apparent that he had made an accurate prediction of the song that Mio would choose as well. The two bass players exchanged looks, as if it were some sort of an inside joke between them. Ritsu remembered that the two contenders had been pretty close; she thought that they might be almost friends, even – and that was saying something given Mio's rather reserved nature. Akita was the one who had helped Mio get her bass in the first place. He had only begun playing the electric bass a short while before Mio did and had recommended a reliable vendor to the girl. The two probably would still be chummy if Iwada hadn't stepped into the picture, Ritsu reckoned.

The battle between the bassists would be tight. They were pretty evenly matched in terms of experience with the electric bass guitar. Ritsu thought that Akita might have mentioned that he played the double bass once upon a time… But on the flip side, Mio did have the upper hand of being more familiar with the song. Ritsu would have to wait for them to actually play before she could weigh the opponents against one another.

The bass line Mio chose was rhythmic and funky. She knew the song well enough to be able to hit the notes precisely at such a fast pace. Akita stood there, just listening. He was discerning a pattern or waiting for a break for him to start playing as well. For the time being, he swayed where he stood with his eyes closed and his head bobbing to the music.

And then, with a well-executed glissando, Akita joined it.

Akita's instrument, Ritsu recalled, was an unfretted bass – much like a double bass. The sound of Akita's bass was softer than Mio's but it allowed him to extend Mio's vibratos and pull smooth slides. Ritsu had expected Akita to cut across Mio's playing but he didn't. The bass line he chose was different from Mio's and the two sounds came into dissonance once in a while when their musicians interpreted the music differently. Akita had his thumb rested on the side of the fret board, Ritsu noticed; that helped her confirm that Akita did play the double bass in the past. Akita used a rapid plucking technique with most of it in pizzicato for a thicker sound with less sustain.

Well, it didn't take long before Mio decided to switch things up.

.

.

.

Mio took a moment to grip her pick between her teeth. She decided to adopt a more percussive technique instead, causing Akita to raise an eyebrow at the girl. Mio couldn't deny that she has been practicing the 'slap and pop' technique quite a bit as of late but she wouldn't say that she was spectacular at them either. Mio liked glissandos but Akita's instrument was more suited for them than Mio's, and she was going to need to play to her strengths if she wanted a shot at winning.

It was a tiring technique. Mio's fingers weren't accustomed to such aggressive plucking and thumping. They began to ache but Mio continued to play. She stole a glance at Akita and she could see that he was impressed. Her playing wasn't too shabby, it seemed. He was nice enough to relent soon after, leaving Mio some space to take over the main bass line.

Even so, Akita's playing has impressed Mio as well. The sound of his playing was a lot stronger than she remembered, and it didn't buzz quite as much – and that was quite a feat considering the design of his bass. His bass was a lot more suited towards jazz but he seemed to be keeping up with Mio decently. She wouldn't admit it out loud but Akita was still better at playing techniques. Mio wasn't going to hold back this time around.

.

.

.

The song was longer than Ritsu remembered. She finally let out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding when the performance eventually came to an end. The two bassists were neck-to-neck in their playing; to a person who wasn't all that familiar with the electric bass, she would suppose that they were pretty evenly matched. Nonetheless, Mio's playing impressed Ritsu. Mio must have been working hard on her own in her free time, growing into quite the musician in the process. A broad grin was spread on Ritsu's face as she clapped and cheered for her best friend. She was proud of Mio and she wasn't afraid to show it.

Ritsu's whooping only got louder when Mio was won by the slimmest margin. In his good nature, Akita reached over and shook Mio's hand. He said something that Ritsu couldn't hear. Mio nodded in response, smiling.

But the drummer's good mood was broken when a livid Iwada stormed over.

"There's still one instrument left: guitar. I hope you have a guitarist on standby, Tainaka."

Ritsu frowned. She folded her arms across her chest and said, "That's bullshit, Iwada. Even if you can't win, don't cheat."

The young man grimaced.

"You were the one to agree to the terms, Tainaka, and I clearly remember specifying that we would be pitting instrument against instrument. So far, my guitar remains unchallenged."

'_That sneaky little bastard_–'

:::


	7. Chapter 7

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc One: _Tsubasa wo Kudasai._

Chapter Seven.

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Ritsu was about to deck Iwada right then and there for his ruse when she felt a firm grip on her shoulder. The drummer didn't even need to look to tell who it was. After all, Mio was the only one who dared to hold Ritsu back whenever the brunette worked herself up into a rage.

"I'll do it," announced the light music club's bassist.

Ritsu was quick to protest.

It was a lost cause, anyway, so they might as well spare Mio the experience of losing. Sure, Mio might have tried her hand at basic electric guitar when she first began searching for an instrument that she liked but that was all there was to it: _the basics_. The moment Mio held a bass in her hands, she had fallen in love with it and specialised in it. Ritsu remembered tagging along with Mio when she went to check out the music shop that Akita recommended. It wasn't that Ritsu didn't trust Akita – he was a pretty decent fellow, in Ritsu's opinion – but the music shop had been in an underground portion of a big city. And when she said that it was 'underground', she meant that it was literally subterranean.

She remembered Mio latching on to the hem of her shirt as they made their way through tunnels that looked very much as if they used to be part of the local sewage system. There had been brackets of light to help them discern the layout of the place but there were also long stretches of unsettling shadows wherever a light bulb had blown; the two girls made their way by the glow of their cell phones and the very specific instructions Akita provided. Ritsu had practically dragged Mio through those tunnels to get to their destination, and then she had to drag Mio away from the hole-in-the-wall music shop when an electric bass found its way into Mio's hands. They couldn't afford amplifiers of their own back then, and Mio would have loved to spend the entire day playing her newly-acquired bass using the shop's test speakers if she could get away with it.

Anyway, Ritsu was certain that Mio was not suited for the guitar after having played the bass for such an extended period of time. The strings of a guitar might be thinner than what Mio was used to, and not nearly far apart from one another. This was not to mention that a guitar was a six-stringed instrument as compared to a four-stringed bass; Mio might have to figure out chords as she went along. There was no way they would win over Iwada, who has been playing the electric guitar for a couple of years now.

So this was Iwada's trump card all along. Even Ritsu, who openly detests the guy, didn't expect him to stoop so low. Mugi watched on with worry as the two best friends bickered, shoving one another a little on occasion. This was one situation that tea would not be able to fix. Yui stood in silence by Mugi's side; the brunette felt was feeling extremely guilty for having put her friends through this. If only she had chosen to keep mum about the guitar…

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.

.

Amidst all the commotion, no one noticed an elfin figure marching towards Iwada until she was right in front of the man. She had a guitar case hanging from one shoulder and her face was determined.

"I'll play against you, Iwada-san."

Eyes wide, the four girls from the light music club traded glances.

Who exactly was this girl who was willing to play on their behalf?

.

.

.

Nakano Azusa was very well aware of the four pairs of eyes on the back of her head but she made no acknowledgement of them. Instead, she focused her gaze on Iwada-san. The lips of the petite high school student were pursed in a thin line.

The young man's eyes narrowed slightly, sizing her up. Azusa frowned reflexively in response but she quickly replaced the expression with a mask devoid of emotion. So what if she was a little uncomfortable with being so confrontational? Azusa knew she could bluff her way through it. She has had the practice after all.

"Aren't you a little young to be in here? Alcohol is served here after all."

"I came for the music, not the drinks," was Azusa's terse response. "But aren't _you_ a little young to be _drinking_ here, Iwada-san?"

The corners of the young man's mouth dipped for a brief second. Azusa knew that she had ticked him off. She was not sorry about it, though. She knew that there was no denying her small stature but she couldn't help but feel a flare of annoyance whenever people alluded to it. Azusa was sixteen years old but she was often mistaken for being twelve; that cruel joke played by the universe had gotten old really fast.

Iwada-san spared another couple of seconds staring her down before snorting and heading for the stage. Azusa made to follow him but not before sparing the four girls a brief smile. That brunette in the light music club with the warm brown eyes really did look like Ui. Despite having never met the girl before, Azusa was pretty sure that she was Ui's sister – the one who was looking for a guitar now that she joined the school's light music club. That would make sense, wouldn't it?

The young guitarist made a quick job of setting up; she went through the motions without putting too much thought into them. After years of performing the task, she had become rather accustomed to it. It gave Azusa the time to figure out her strategy. It was only when she test-strummed her instrument that a stray thought occurred to her: she had plugged her guitar into the right audio channel. Thinking back to her other performances, it seemed as though it had becomes some sort of a reflex for her to plug her guitar into the right-side channel. Wait a minute – why was she being so distracted by such random thoughts? The young musician shook her head a couple of times to clear her mind and get with the programme. After a couple minor adjustments were made, Azusa was ready.

Truth be told, Azusa wasn't very familiar with _Blue Zone_ music. She knew that they started off as a cover band for pop music but had started venturing into jazz as of late. Jazz… She reckoned that Iwada-san would be pretty good at it, then, being the leader of the group and all. So she was up against someone playing the same music genre; Azusa can handle that. She might not be the best jazz musician out there but she was decent, if she may say so herself.

A quick coin toss later had Azusa ready to go. The song selection went to Iwada-san, and – just as she had predicted – Iwada-san picked a jazz song.

Well, then; may the best guitarist win.

.

.

.

Before Iwada could even begin proper, his twin-tailed opponent snatched the intro from right under his nose.

His dark eyes narrowed slightly when he found himself a little at a lost. He had planned to begin strongly but that was a bust. What was worse was that the girl played strongly and confidently – he couldn't find a break in her playing to assert his own. Iwada grit his teeth and started adding to the music, resigned to playing second guitar for the time being.

He could tell from her playing that she was not new to the genre. She may be good technique-wise but she was playing it safe; the little raven-haired girl was keeping to a generic scale. Iwada figured he was done with comping since he definitely knew the song better. He spun the dial and the voice of his guitar overpowered his fellow guitarist. The girl – Nakano, was it? – would be forced to back him up instead.

Iwada couldn't help but grin.

For a long stretch, his solo went uninterrupted. This was truly the advantage of being able to select the track, he thought. As familiar as Nakano might be with jazz music, she couldn't 'break' into his playing because of the tight melody he was weaving. But judging by how well she could accompany his playing, Iwada would have to say that she seemed to be a pretty experienced musician. Things might have been a whole lot rougher on him had she won the coin toss instead. Damn, what a lucky strike for him.

.

.

.

Azusa was getting a little disgruntled.

She knew that Iwada-san would be the one to win if she was stuck playing the back-up to his lead – and that didn't really sit well with her. Though she wasn't particularly famous, Azusa has made a bit of a name for herself around these parts; if she lost, her pride as a jazz guitarist would be left in shreds. Besides that, she would have disappointed Ui's sister and her friends. It would be disgraceful of her, especially after the way she had butted into their business earlier on. Azusa sighed to herself. She really was out of line earlier, wasn't she?

A muscle in her arm twitched but she was determined to keep it out of her playing. Azusa has a plan but she wasn't very confident in it. Sure, she had used the technique in her previous performances but they were all scripted; she never really tried it in her improvisations before…

Furthermore, if she wanted to be heard, she would have to snatch the song back from Iwada-san. That would involve turning up the volume again. Sure, it might be an impactful move but it also meant that any and every mistake she made would be amplified for the audience to witness. Coupled with her insecurities, that would be a recipe for disaster.

Could Azusa do it? Maybe – but did she want to take the risk?

She shook her head slightly and pursed her lips. Azusa continued to accompany his playing.

.

.

.

"She's stuck," Mio pointed out once she noticed that the girl on stage had shaken her head although the gesture had been a very subtle one.

The way Iwada was playing his guitar… He was goading his opponent. He knew that the younger guitarist was no amateur and was teasing her with his advantage. Mio could practically hear it chiming in her head, _'You _know_ you can do better but you can't do anything about it._'

Suffice to say, even as a spectator, Mio was irked.

The bassist looked towards the drummer who was seething far too much to truly appreciate the music. She knew that look in Ritsu's eyes and made a note to keep an eye on her best friend. The last time she saw such Ritsu make such a face was when Ritsu nearly dislocated Iwada's shoulder in an arm lock. Mio knew her friend could be rather emotional and… volatile.

Mio was just about to prepare Yui and Mugi just in case Ritsu lost her temper when another guitar roared to life. Her gaze snapped back to the stage; she had moved her head so fast she very nearly got a crick in her neck. Mio was surprised, and what a pleasant surprise it was, too.

It was absolutely gratifying to see the shock on Iwada's face when the guitarist playing on light music club's behalf started hammering out a chord solo that drowned out Iwada's blowing. The copious amount of hammer-on and pull-off notes in her playing made it crystal clear that this girl was aiming to impress – and as if that wasn't enough, the short burst of tapping that she managed to squeeze into the solo was quick to win the crowds over. Mio could safely say that Azusa was succeeding if her plan was to blow the minds of the audience.

And knowing Iwada, Mio could tell that he was absolutely discontented when the song ended. At least he had the decency to join in with the clapping when the petite raven-haired girl was named the victorious. The champ herself looked relieved as she smiled at the crowds before her.

Squeals went up behind Mio. The bassist turned around to find Yui jumping on the spot and Mugi hugging the closest available person – which happened to be Ritsu. Even Ritsu cracked a small smile that broadened when she caught Mio's gaze. With Mugi's arms still around her shoulders, Ritsu managed a shrug and Mio smiled right back at her.

Victory was victory (no matter how unusual the circumstances leading up to it may be), and it was sweet.

.

.

.

"Nakano Azusa – pleased to meet you," said the guitarist with a bow once the excitement had died off.

Ritsu was about to wave off the formalities when Yui rushed forward and engulfed their hero in a Yui-styled bear hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Yui gushed. "You were so amazing! You were all like '_jyaan~' _and '_twang_' – it was just so _wow_!"

Ritsu could only send the twin-tailed girl an apologetic smile. She was about to reel her ecstatic bandmate in but was beaten to it by Mugi.

"Yui-chan, I think you're scaring her…"

"It's alright," the girl stuttered once Yui let her go but it was apparent to all who were present that Azusa was caught off guard by Yui's bright personality. "I can understand her excitement."

Once all the members of the light music club had thanked the guitarist, Mio couldn't help but ask, "Not that I'm being ungrateful but… Why did you help us?"

It came as a surprise to the four second-year students that Azusa was an underclassman at their school, and that she knew through Yui's sister that Yui was looking for a guitar. While Azusa wasn't completely sure if the friendly brunette was indeed her classmate's sister, she thought that the resemblance was too uncanny to be a coincidence.

For a short moment, the image of a mini-Yui (every bit as carefree and lazy, rolling around on a bed with manga in hand) popped up in Ritsu's mind but the drummer was quick to shake her head and rid herself of such a thought. After all, if Yui's sister was Azusa's classmate, she would only be a year younger than them – and, having recalled what she heard about Ui, the younger Hirasawa seemed to be the mature one out of the two. Hmm… Maybe she should bully Yui into introducing the light music club to her sister; after all, it seemed like this 'Ui' was helping the light music club out from behind the scenes.

They chatted for a long while now that the girls were off-duty and the guitar they had just won was safely in Yui's embrace. The girls had promised to make up for ending their shift early some other time despite their boss trying to wave off the suggestion; this was a temporary arrangement, after all. Still, the girls minded their work etiquette and promised to make up for the shift sometime in the future. They bought the younger girl drinks – of the non-alcoholic variety, of course – and some snacks in celebration.

.

.

.

"Ah, Yui-senpai," Azusa interjected suddenly, "why did you insist on this guitar, anyway?"

Yui's quick reply was that she found the guitar cute, nodding her head firmly as she did so. Ritsu gave her a good-natured thump on the back, declaring, "That's Private Yui for you!"

The brunette's only reaction was to smile innocently, partly because of the reaction she received for her response and partly out of relief. Amidst the festivities, her friends did not realise that she had responded a little _too_ quickly to the question.

It took Yui a moment to realise that it wouldn't have mattered if she had told them the truth: she had seen the guitar in a dream she had about the light music club. They would just laugh and she would laugh along with them – and she would be thankful for every second of it.

Goodness knew how much she wanted the dream to come true.

She decided to change the topic.

"Ne, Azunyan, do you wanna join the light music club?"

"'Azunyan'? Where did that nickname come from? And no, I'm already in the jazz club, you see."

"Ehh…"

"Sorry, Yui-senpai."

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.

.

{_You just sent a video._}

She sent the last of four videos before following up with an email message.

{"So, what do you think?"}

She raised a drink to her lips, which were shaped in a smirk. It didn't take long for her phone to register that her correspondent was typing.

{"Meh… I think the guitarist would have looked better in cat ears."}

She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head at the response she received.

{"… But I think it might be worth it to keep an eye on those girls."}

Now that's more like it.

:::


	8. End of Arc 1

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

End of Arc One.

_'Tsubasa wo Kudasai.'_

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.

.

"Onee-chan, _gohan_."

It didn't take much to convince Yui to abandon her homework in favour of dinner – and especially not when she was losing focus in the first place. The brunette stifled a yawn and indulged in a stretch that had her joints crackling into place before she left for the dining room. Ui was just serving up the dishes when she arrived.

The younger of the Hirasawa sisters informed Yui that the obaa-chan next door came by with a side dish for their dinner. Yui nodded and clapped joyfully as she slid into a sat at the table. She would have to remember to do something nice for their elderly neighbour sometime soon…

A quick word of thanks was said and the two sisters settled down for their evening meal. One bite of Ui's cooking and Yui hummed in delight.

"This is really good! You've really got a knack for cooking, Ui!" the thirteen-year-old complimented her sister.

"Really, onee-chan?"

"Mm-hmm," Yui hummed happily.

"I'm glad."

Throughout the meal, Yui noticed that there were a couple of times that her sister looked as though she was about to say something but stopped herself at the last moment. Yui waited for the younger Hirasawa to say something but nothing particularly substantial was brought up at the dinner table. The meal was shared and the dishes were soon done. The older of the two did not head back to her room immediately despite the homework waiting for her. Instead, she took residence on the couch, using the evening news as an excuse to continue being present in the living room. She was really just leaving room open for Ui to speak her mind – a silent offer that Ui picked up on not too long later.

"Ne, onee-chan," Ui began uncertainly, "would you allow me to prepare meals from now on? It's not that I don't like your cooking – in fact, I really enjoy your cooking! It's just that you're in middle school now and we're released at different times; the house feels kind of... Empty."

Yui pursed her lips, turning away from the news broadcast in order to think.

It has already been a year, huh...

:::

_"Ne, Yui-chan, Ui-chan," Hirasawa-san called out to his daughters though he kept his eyes on the road and his hands firmly on the steering wheel._

_Yui remembered a plastic bag with two live goldfish being clutched in her hand. Ui had been leaning on her shoulder, watching the lights go by. The two sisters - one at ten years of age and the other, eleven - were tuckered out after a long day out with the family which had culminated with a visit to some festival held in the area. Tired as they may be, the two girls sat up a little straighter at their father's tender tone_

_"Yes, otou-san?"_

_"Okaa-san and I... We might be working abroad soon."_

_"When?"_

_"I– I don't know; when they need us, I guess. The thing is that we might be working away for a long, long time."_

_That caught Yui's attention. She leaned forward, towards the passenger seat. She placed a hand on the shoulder of the polyester seat._

_"Is that true, okaa-san?"_

_"It is, sweetie. I'm so sorry."_

_Was Yui just imagining things or were there tear tracks running down her mother's cheeks?_

_She sat quietly as her father explained – half listening to his words, half listening out for any other signs that her mother was crying. When she finally heard a sniffle, it had not come from her mother but her little sister, Ui. Ui clutched at her sister's sleeve. Suddenly, the amazing day out with her family suddenly seemed like a faraway dream - did it really happen? It was all so surreal at the moment; Yui couldn't tell what was true anymore. All she felt was numbness._

_"We love you very, very much, Yui-chan, Ui-chan," their mother added once her father finished. He told them to take care of one another in their absence._

_Yui did not understand._

_If her parents loved them, why were they leaving her and Ui in the hands of their neighbour?_

_Did they not want their children, anymore? Yui remembered being told that family stuck together – what was going on here? Why was this happening?_

_There was a really heavy weight upon her chest. Her heart ached. Maybe she was just being selfish. Her parents were doctors – they needed to go out into the world and save lives, right? She should be glad that they're going out into the world to help people, shouldn't she? But what was this sense of betrayal that she was feeling?_

_"I– I understand," Ui piped up through her tears. "Please take care."_

_Ui... Ui understood? Then again, her little sister was such a mature-minded and compassionate person that it didn't really come as a surprise to Yui. At times, Yui felt like she should have been the younger sister instead. She didn't understand what was going on but, if Ui did, it would surely come to her in time..._

_... Right?_

_It didn't take long before Ui crawled into her bed after being tucked in that night._

_The two sisters were close – her father always laughed when recounting the first time Yui met her baby sister. Yui has always been a little girl with a humongous heart: she was always falling in love with the little things in life but nothing could compare with how fast she fell in love with her baby sister. Yui was a little bit older than a year back then, and she could hardly talk at the time; yet, she babbled "Ui" absentmindedly for the rest of the day and refused to let her sister out of her line of sight. She cried the entire day when it was time to leave her mother and the new-born at the hospital._

_When either Hirasawa sister needed comforting, she would only have to slip into her sister's bed to find her safe haven. They were one another's pillar, each sister counting on the other to be there for her when she needed them. Yui realised that Ui must really be hurting when she pulled her sister into a hug – her entire body was shaking with repressed sobs._

_"I– Maybe I'm selfish but I don't want them to leave."_

_"Me, too, Ui. Me, too."_

_She hugged her sister even tighter and tried to whisper reassurances but Ui only cried harder. The sound was muffled against her pyjamas, she recalled. Ui cried and cried, silently, till there were no more tears left to shed and then some. When her sister finally calmed down enough to fall asleep, Yui slipped out of bed and padded her way towards their parents' room._

_She was a little slow in understanding the situation, yes, but when Yui made up her mind to get to the root of what was going on, she will._

_Hirasawa Yui was nothing if not determined._

:::

"Hmm... Okay, but I hate cleaning up the house," Yui agreed but pouted at that last bit.

"I'll do those, too!"

"But I can't let you do everything around the house!"

"Well, how about you do the laundry instead, onee-chan?"

Yui was about to reply when a bit of the news caught her attention.

"There's one less this year," she mumbled to herself.

"Huh?" Ui asked before looking to the television. She paled in realisation.

Every year, a fixed number of third-year classes from middle schools all over the Republic of Greater East Asia were chosen for the Battle Royale programme. The students, most of whom were a mere fifteen years old, would be forced to fight one another to the death, till only one winner remained. There was one less winner than the usual that year, Yui noted. That would mean...

"The entire class didn't make it."

Yui didn't miss the glance her sister gave her before switching the television off. Seeing Ui worried made Yui worry about her own fate and Ui's. Only the heavens would know what was in store for the sisters in time to come.

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.

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"Tsumugi-ojousama?"

"Yes, Sumire-chan?"

"I know it is out of place for me to ask but what is the middle school syllabus like?"

Mugi smiled. It was sort of funny – in an endearing way – to see the preteen getting so flustered over asking such a simple question. Then again, the younger girl was technically employed to serve the Kotobuki household just as her forefathers were; maybe that made things a little awkward for Sumire? Mugi couldn't see why, though. She had always wanted a sibling and has come to see the younger blonde as a sister.

"It's been keeping me rather busy, that's for sure," answered Mugi, frowning ever so slightly. "The tutors have been pressing me hard these days – and there are a couple new subjects that I'm rather unfamiliar with."

Sumire nodded before asking, "Is that why you've stopped playing the grand piano these days, Tsumugi-ojousama?"

:::

_"The blonde won again this year."_

_"Is she foreign? She certainly looks it."_

_"Who cares? It hardly seems fair that _she_ won again this year. Is this the 'white superiority' that the government said they wanted to do away with?"_

_"Well, I don't know… I think she deserved to win – she did play beautifully after all."_

_With the lights in her eyes, Kotobuki Tsumugi definitely could not identify any faces in the crowd but she could definitely hear the callous comments above the polite applause The twelve-year-old bit at her cheek and swallowed a couple of times as she received her prize. No, she would not give them the satisfaction of seeing her teary-eyed._

_Like it or not, those words hurt. Mugi was just as Japanese as they were, having been born and raised in the Republic of Greater East Asia all her life. She couldn't help it that her father was only part Asian and her mother – whom Mugi has met only in distant, fragmented memories – was of Caucasian lineage. If Mugi could have her way, she would trade her exquisite foreign looks for a more local hair tone and eye colour. She already stuck out because of the Kotobuki name for it was a name of old money here in the Republic of Greater East Asia._

_All Mugi really wanted was to be a normal girl – the sort that would not garner second glances whenever she went about on her way._

_Music granted her a reprieve of her reality. When she played, Mugi could imagine being ordinary. After all, many girls in this competitive country are encouraged to take up classical music lessons to showcase their refined tastes. With her eyes closed and her fingers dancing across the keys from muscle memory, Mugi was just a girl playing the piano – just one amongst the masses._

_The freedom was addictive. Mugi really threw herself into the music._

_Before she knew it, she was named a prodigy – she started on the instrument at the age of four, and a little after her twelfth birthday and a month or so before her competition, Mugi was awarded a diploma in piano – but she knew it was really her self-motivation that drove her to practice for hours every single day, honing and perfecting her playing. She loved playing music, yes…_

_… But she certainly did not like participating in contests. At least, she didn't like to participate in them these days; they robbed her of her passion._

_Despite the criticisms, the audience was shocked when the girl (one of the youngest competing in the event) announced her retirement from the competition scene – and just when she was named as the participant with the longest winning streak, too._

_She would have to face her otou-sama about her decision but she was fairly confident that he would understand. Mugi was not close to the man but she knew that she loved her father and that the love was mutual. She knew he only wanted the best for his daughter, and that knowledge was the young girl's trump card._

_While Kotobuki-sama might seem rather aloof and calculating as compared to his sensitive and warm daughter, nobody in the right mind would say that Mugi was not her father's daughter._

_What they had in common ran far deeper than just their looks._

:::

"Well, that is partially true, Sumire-chan, but I haven't given up playing altogether."

"Oh?"

"I've taken quite a fancy to the Korg Triton keyboard in my room instead, you see."

.

.

.

Nimble fingers threaded their way through long raven hair, twirling the locks at their ends.

The moment Azusa became conscious about this little habit of hers, she stopped. Maybe she should start wearing her hair up, then; it was getting a little long and all too tempting for her to play with it.

She sighed and took a break from what felt like an endless stream of math equations. At twelve years old, the last place that Azusa wanted to be was stuck in a stuffy classroom on such a brilliant day. No, she could be playing her classical guitar and trying out a few acoustic techniques she picked up on those familiar nylon strings. Sure, the classical guitar might not be completely suitable for strumming along to songs due to its wide neck and rather large spaces between the strings but it was all Azusa had – and it sure beat doing _Maths_…

She found her fingers running through her hair again. Maybe she really should start putting it up, given the sweltering weather these days. Cutting it was definitely not an option.

:::

_The nine-year-old wore a smile on her face all the way home. Every so often, her fingers would find their way to her hair and played with the tips that tickled at her shoulders. It felt good, she decided. Yes, with the Sun warming her up despite the dipping temperatures this late in the year, her day was perfect._

_That smile slid right off her face the moment her mother greeted her at the doorstep._

_"You cut your hair," the woman said in a tight voice. Azusa nodded even if it wasn't a question._

_"Why didn't you ask us for our opinions before going ahead with it? Azusa! If you think this is an act of independence and maturity now that you're nine years old, it's not! The mature-minded thing would be to discuss your decisions with others beforehand."_

_Azusa looked at her feet, unable to meet her mother's eyes. She was brought up to be the perfect, obedient little girl that other parents would look enviously to but she felt that she had to justify herself. In the smallest of voices, Azusa added, "But I did discuss it with others first; my friends told me to go for it."_

_That was evidently the wrong thing to say._

_"And you thought that it would be better to seek the advice of your peers over that of your parents?!" her mother exclaimed._

_Azusa stood with her head bowed at the door, rooted to the spot by guilt and shame. She could hear her mother trying to calm herself down lest there be a scene where the neighbours could see and hear. It took a while before her mother stood to the side and let Azusa in._

_"What sort of a child have I brought up?" the woman muttered under her breath. The caustic question was directed more towards herself than at the little girl whom she was trying to ignore. "First she drops her piano and violin lessons, she then asks to pick up the classical guitar, and now this? Does she want to be a rebel or something?"_

_Azusa flinched as she tried to shuffle to her room as inconspicuously as she could. Her mother obviously intended for her to overhear that little rant. She dumped her schoolbag in the corner of the room and took her guitar out of its case. Maybe a little music would help ease her mind; she was intending to get some practice on Etude done, anyway._

_It goes without saying that the honour of explaining her change in appearance to the patriarch of the Nakano household would fall to Azusa. He would not approve. Her family was the conservative sort – a typical, competitive upper-middle class family. Her father, being a high-ranking government official, would not be amused; as his daughter, Azusa was expected to keep appearances up. Her father had not been subtle in expressing his disappointment at his daughter's choice of instrument. Azusa had to promise to try out some Japanese literature review group (or something similar to that) as a trade-off. It obviously didn't work out for her._

_Maybe she could promise to never cut her hair again as a means of appeasing him._

_The young girl looked out the window with her guitar clutched tightly in her arms, and found the first few droplets of rain falling. Talk about a coincidence…_

:::

The public announcement system crackled to life, stirring Azusa out of her reminiscing. In a monotone voice, it was requested that all members of clubs involving stringed instruments report to Meeting Room 1 immediately. Azusa got up and left with some of her classmates once her teacher excused them. She could already guess what this was about.

As a precaution, the middle school student wedged her pick into the crack of the window sill.

Should they do a search of her belongings, Azusa would not be able to explain why a member of the guitar ensemble would have a guitar pick on her. After all, a guitar pick wasn't exactly necessary in finger-style guitar playing.

.

.

.

"Satoshi, tell okaa-san that I'm off, okay?" Ritsu called over her shoulder as she got on her bicycle and pedalled as hard as she could to her best friend's home.

Not twenty minutes later, she barrelled into Mio's room unannounced, breathless but excited. Mio immediately knew that her best friend was up to some sort of mischief. They've been friends for seven years now – which was a year longer than what would be half their lives. That spark in Ritsu's eyes was unmistakeable.

Ritsu unceremoniously dumped her bag on the floor the moment the door was shut and started digging for something in her bag. A quick moment later, Ritsu held… a VCR tape? Who would even use those anymore, now that DVDs were all the rage?

"Guess what, Mio? I was cleaning up 'the box' for our class' magic act and found a secret compartment – isn't that so cool?" gushed the tawny-haired girl, waving the object about.

Wait a minute…

"'The box'? Ritsu! I thought I told you to get rid of it!" Mio cried, getting up. Her hands were on her hips as she shot her friend a stern look.

"Well, I thought that it was heavier than it should be if it were empty and noticed that it made a weird rattling sound, so I kept it," Ritsu defended herself. With a grinned, she tossed in for good measure, "Who knows? Maybe it was haunted or something?"

She laughed out loud when Mio immediately clapped her hands over her ears. When she took a step forward, Mio took a step back, shaking her head. Her best friend really was too cute for her own good, Ritsu thought; maybe that was why she loved teasing the raven-haired girl so much.

"Ara, ara – I was just kidding, but look here: it came with a note. I haven't read it yet but that's because I thought that we should read it together!"

Sure enough, there was a note in Ritsu's hand. Despite her doubts, Mio still leaned over to read it, though she refused to let the piece of paper touch her in case it was cursed.

**{Hey, Ricchan (and Mio-chan, I guess). If you're reading this note, I would assume that you managed to find the little extra present I left for you. Hopefully you would be a little older when you find this and the whole issue has blown over. I suppose that you would have heard that I was a traitor or a bad person or something but I can assure you that I never had any ill-intentions towards the people around me. The two of you were like sisters to me, I swear.**

**Speaking of sisters, the VCR is something very personal to me. It was the prized possession of my younger twin sisters and the only thing I have left of them. Even if you never watch what is on it, please keep it safe for me; the two of you are the only ones I would ever think about entrusting something so close to my heart to.**

**Well, I guess that's all I really have to say. I'm sorry I won't be around to hang out with the two of you anymore (and give you free stuff, especially in Ricchan's case).**

**Yours truly,**

**Kimura Tatsumi, a.k.a. ****_Store-oniichan_****}**

The two girls looked at one another, both keeping silent as the message sunk in. Ritsu gestured towards Mio's VCR player, a gesture which Mio responded to with very adamant head shaking. Their matching solemn expressions were evidence that they were both thinking back to _that day…_

:::

_Ritsu whistled a merry tuned as she roped Mio into heading to the store with her. They were a block away when they heard the commotion. Amber eyes met grey ones for a moment before the two girls broke into a run. Being the faster one of the two, Ritsu pulled Mio along by the hand till they found themselves at the back of a crowd._

_Mio followed the other ten-year-old's lead, making her way through the cloud and trying to stay on the path that Ritsu had mapped out by pushing through. The sight that she was greeted with stopped her dead in her tracks. It was a sight that could make Ritsu sink to her knees in surprise._

_A young man was crouched on the ground. His arms shielded his head from the blows of the armed officers. He neither screamed nor begged as they dealt hit after hit, kick after kick. His light brown eyes widened slightly in recognition of the girls that have just made their way to the front of the crowd._

_"I'm sorry," he croaked, coughing a little as a kick landed on his ribs. Mio did her best to ignore the specks of blood against the tar road. "I'm sorry; I'm sorry; I'm sorry…"_

_Anyone else would think that the officers have finally broken the man whom they have arrested and dragged out into the open for a very public beating. It was gruesome but Mio couldn't help but stare. Ritsu watched with her mouth agape as well. Both girls knew, somehow, that the Store-oniichan was apologising to the two of them._

_It was an excruciatingly long time before the man passed out and the officers clamped handcuffs on his limp wrists and dragged him away._

_"W-What happened, Mio?" Ritsu asked. Her lips quivered and her eyes were teary. That was just like Ritsu, turning to Mio when something she couldn't understand happened._

_Mio dragged an arm across her eyes to banish the pooling tears. "I guess… He was a bad man."_

_A month or so later, a wooden box addressed to Ritsu arrived on the Tainaka's door mat. Ritsu was lucky she found it when she went to get the letters from the mailbox – she wouldn't have been able to come up with a good explanation about the gift should her mother have been the one to find it._

_Inside the box were some of Ritsu and Mio's favourite treats, leaving no doubts about who sent it. She stuffed the food and toys into a bag and cycled her way to Mio's house, but not before hiding the box under a pile of her clothes in the wardrobe._

_She would not figure out how to remove the false bottom until three years later._

:::

"The food was safe, Mio," Ritsu reminded her.

Mio continued to eyeball the VCR with suspicion. "This might not be, Ritsu."

Ritsu kept quiet for a moment. Mio's words were true but… "I really want to find out, Mio. The truth about the onii-chan, that is. I– I cared about him; he was the older brother I never had. I know you felt the same way about him, too."

After a long pause, during which Mio's curiosity waged a war against her rationality, the raven-haired girl sighed and gestured towards the VCR player and the television box that she had installed in her room. Ritsu grinned, pulled her friend into a hug, turned the volume down (just in case) and popped the video in.

And just like that, a recording of The Who's live concert started playing on the television's screen.

Outside the fastened window, a young man paused to stretch a little before returning to his job of putting up wanted posters. By the next day, the faces of two fifteen-year-old fugitives would be plastered on every available surface in the suburbs.

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.

[If I could get one wish to come true right now, I would ask for a pair of wings.]

:::


	9. Chapter 8

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc Two: _Fuwa Fuwa Time._

Chapter Eight.

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There was a brief but sharp rap on the door to the music room before it swung open.

"Sorry, for the intrusion," the girl said with a bow, "but jazz club released us early today and I thought I should come over and help Yui-senpai with her – _what's going on?"_

The kouhai dropped by the light music club's practice with the intention of helping out but the blatant lack of discipline that was running rampant in the music room was just… wow. Azusa has never seen anything close to the likes of such tomfoolery, and from a bunch of seniors, at that.

The two brunettes of the light music club were engaged in the most peculiar of games. The Kotobuki heiress had apparently brought along plenty of bite-sized cookies to day, and the two playful girls were alternating between stuffing their mouths with the biscuits and saying something that Azusa couldn't quite discern. Speaking of the Kotobuki heiress, Mugi was calmly filling the tea cups, occasionally pausing to cheer for the two competitors. The kindly blonde stopped to wave at Azusa when she noticed that they had a visitor; Mugi then went back to minding the tea set spread out across the tables.

"Ah, Azusa, come on in. I'm sorry that you came by to find them horsing around again."

Well, she could at least count on Mio-senpai to be doing something a little club-related. The bassist was taking advantage of the free time to maintain her bass and amplifier. It might not be much but it indicated that Mio-senpai had some idea of what should be going on during practice hours – and that was more than can be said about the rest of the club, unfortunately (although Azusa thought she might give Mugi-senpai the benefit of doubt given the many half-filled score sheets littered on top of one of the desks).

Yui-senpai seemed to perk up the moment she stepped through the door, however. In a heartbeat, Azusa was tackled by a very, very affectionate senior who had tried to cheer "Azunyan!" through a mouthful of cookies. Azusa tried very hard not to cringe at the few crumbs that escaped Yui-senpai's mouth following the senior's exuberant greeting.

"Cut that out, Yui-senpai," Azusa scolded, nudging the senior off of her. "And please swallow or something; it would be horrible if you choked."

The first-year student flinched when the other guitarist swallowed audibly. By the tables, Ritsu-senpai let out a cheer, punched the air and struck a victory pose before furiously chewing and swallowing her own mouthful of biscuits.

"I remain victorious, private."

"Aww, does that mean I won't be getting a promotion?"

Azusa chanced a glance Mio-senpai's way only to find the older girl looking exasperated at the scene playing out before her. The younger girl sort of felt bad for her senior. Maybe she should say something about the two brunettes' behaviour, even if it was only on Mio-senpai's behalf.

"Yui-senpai! Ritsu-senpai! Cut that out right now and get to practice!"

"Ohoho, what insubordination," Ritsu commented, slinging an arm around the petite girl's shoulders. "Lighten up, Nakano; we're just celebrating that Yui here passed her make-up tests. We were _this_ close to being disbanded."

Yui-senpai nodded approvingly at the extremely narrow gap between the club president's thumb and index fingers before it dawned on her. "Hey!"

Ritsu-senpai merely flashed a toothy grin, looking completely unapologetic about teasing her friend. The other brunette stamped her foot in frustration, commenting that the Tainaka girl only got by on Mio-senpai's mercy. The drummer retorted, saying that she didn't want to hear that coming from Yui seeing as the guitarist was just the same. Azusa sighed to herself – the light music club really was a handful.

She didn't realise that she had been guided to a seat at the table by the drummer until the blonde placed a cup of tea before her. Well, at least the tea was delicious. Lemon ginger tea, Azusa noted with appreciation; at least that would help keep the impending headache at bay for the time being.

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.

When they finally got around to practicing, Azusa became aware that the light music club's guitarist was truly an amazing individual. Yui-senpai, much like her sister, could be spectacular when she put her mind to it. They were geniuses; they've a great aptitude for learning and they learned fast. However, there was just that one thing that distinguished the elder of the two siblings from the younger.

"You forgot the C chord?" Azusa deadpanned. "And every other chord we went through the other day?"

At least the nouveau guitarist had the decency to look sheepish. Azusa thought that her combined effort with Mio-senpai had finally drilled the basic chords into Yui-senpai's system but it was apparent that it wasn't safe to make such assumptions when it came to Yui-senpai. As if it was any sort of compensation, Yui-senpai went on to play a simple melody on her guitar. Azusa would have pulled a facepalm but Ritsu-senpai beat her to it; the slapping of the drummer's palm against her forehead was very audible in the stunned room.

"But you still remember that?" the drummer had to ask.

"It's innate!"

"Do you even know the meaning of 'innate', wisecrack?" Ritsu-senpai shot back, slumping on her drum stool. Mio-senpai slapped her best friend upside her head in an order to keep the drummer in check.

Yui was about to retort when a short series of knocks against the door sounded. She bounded over to the door and opened it to find Nodoka there and instantly latched onto the student council member.

"I knew my 'Nodoka senses' were tingling."

Being the wise person that she is, Nodoka dismissed the comment with an absentminded pat on Yui 's head and walked right in to convey some important news. Wiser still, the student council member bypassed the club's official leader and approached her very own classmate instead.

"Mio, the school wants the light music club to hold a performance in the next school festival. The school leaders are getting a little antsy, having approved of the club's revival but having yet to see any sign of progress from this new club."

Mio shook her head, saying, "I understand but we're not ready – Yui just picked up the guitar a month or so ago, and we're a little behind schedule with the examination setback and all."

"As a friend to all of you, I can empathise with that but I don't think the school leaders would be quite so understanding," said Nodoka, adjusting her glasses. "They… They're considering suspending the club if you've got nothing to show."

There was a clatter of wooden drumsticks against the floor. All heads turned to Ritsu, who had stamped her foot and bellowed, "_What?!_"

"Come on, Nodoka, put in a good word for us and I'm sure things we'll be alright. Mugi, won't you get her some tea and cake–"

"I won't be bribed," said the bespectacled girl firmly. "Look, the student council really has no say in this. I only volunteered to be the messenger since I'm a friend to all of you and thought it would be best for me to break the news."

Mio nodded, thanking her classmate. Ritsu looked like she was about to say something but clammed up when her childhood friend shot her a glower (which was more like a silent reminder for her to behave).

"When's the next school festival again, Nodoka-chan?" Mugi asked from her spot behind the keyboard.

"It's in about two months."

"Alright then," the _buchou _announced, clapping her hands together in determination. "We'll take it as our first step to Budokan. Don't you worry; we'll be ready by then."

She nodded to each of the members of the light music club.

"I know we will," Ritsu ended firmly.

Mio was a little awestruck by the sudden show of leadership in her friend. As horrible as it might sound, she had thought that Ritsu had picked up the mantle just for the title of president. It was a fresh change of pace, Mio decided…

… But then she remembered that this was _Ritsu_ that she was thinking about.

"Right," Mio affirmed. "And I'll take it that it's up to me to stop _you_ from slacking off."

"Hey!" was the immediate response. A thoughtful silence passed before the tawny-haired girl added in a small voice, "But, yeah – thanks, Mio."

.

.

.

"Okay, first, we've gotta find Sawa-cha – I mean, _Yamanaka-sensei _and get some advice from her. She did agree to be our supervisor after all," the drummer strategized.

"That's only because you can be quite pushy sometimes."

Ritsu frowned at her best friend briefly before going back to writing out her plan on a piece of paper. All four light music club girls plus Azusa (who was arguably the most familiar with the preparations required for a performance) were gathered at the cluster of desks, throwing ideas around.

"So, for now, we'll leave the music to Mio and Mugi – I'll meet up with the two of you later on to test out some beats. Private, you and I are going to go meet up with Yamanaka-sensei in the meantime."

"Roger!"

"We'll keep you in the loop, okay, Azusa?" Ritsu said, tossing the junior a glance and getting a nod in response. "Thanks for helping out, by the way; you're awesome."

"Alright, are there any objections? No? Well then, meeting adjourned!"

Mio raised an eyebrow at her friend, saying, "You just wanted to say that, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah."

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.

.

"How did it go, onee-chan?"

"Well…" Yui trailed off.

The Hirasawa sisters were at the boarding school pantry, where Ui was preparing dinner whilst they chatted. On occasion, one of the other girls in the dorm would pass by with a look of astonishment and confusion on her face; it was quite rare a sight to see boarders preparing complete meals as it was far more convenient to dine at the boarding school's cafeteria. In response to their puzzled looks, Yui would wave at them cheerily as they passed, seemingly oblivious to how odd things were.

"Sawa-chan-sensei gave us some generic advice but she said she was too busy with the other club to come by and help us out often. She said that she would drop by on occasion, though," Yui supplied.

"That's nice of her."

"It is."

Beneath the happy-go-lucky veneer, however, Yui was a little concerned. She knew that the light music club was good but they weren't amazing (yet), and it felt like she was the one who was holding them back. Out of the four of them, she was the least experienced – and if it weren't for her blunder during the examinations, the club would have been well on their way. She couldn't help it; her focus just wasn't quite what it used to be. If she didn't throw all of herself into something, _those memories_ would find their way back into her head edgewise. It was easier to just play the fool and compensate for it later.

With that being said, she was also thankful for the friends that she made. They never made her feel like she was a burden (though she couldn't help but think it when she was on her own) and stuck by her through thick, thin and even some of the stupidest things the Earth has ever seen. Yui couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Ritsu putting herself in the path of Mio's wrath just so that the other members of the club could blow off some steam. That was just so Ricchan.

They might think her thicker than a cinderblock but Yui has a good eye for character. She's only known the girls for a little bit more than a term but she could already pinpoint the best of them. Ritsu, despite the avaricious image she put on, was self-sacrificing; Mio, in spite of her cool front, was sensitive; Mugi was compassionate, no doubts about that; and beneath her mask of discipline and courtesy, Azusa was feisty.

And who was she? She was–

"Onee-chan, are you alright? You aren't usually this quiet."

She shook her head to clear it before giving an affirmative hum. "I was just wondering about the sort of snacks that Mugi-chan would bring tomorrow. Mugi-chan always manages to get the best snacks!"

She smiled when Ui began to giggle.

"Ah! Do you want me to help with dinner, Ui? I am you big sister after all."

"It's fine, onee-chan. Dinner is just about ready, anyway, and having you around is enough to make me happy."

It slipped right off her tongue before she could stop herself.

"Thank you, Ui."

"Whatever for?"

Yui just shook her head and shot her sister the most _fuwa fuwa_ smile that she could muster.

"For being the best sister that anyone could ask for."

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.

"How's this, Azunyan?"

"I think the phrase should be played with some choking and palm-muting, Yui-senpai."

"Choking? Palm-muting? What's that?"

"Mio-senpai went through it with you before your exams!"

Ritsu chuckled at the exchange before saying, "Exactly! Mio went through it with her _before_ the exams. Who would've thought that exams could induce amnesia, eh?"

The drummer could see that the underclassman was about to retort when Yui tried the phrase again. A beat passed before Azusa noted, "You played it with the choking and palm-muting that time, Yui-senpai."

"Eh? I just played it by my feelings."

"Your feelings are more reliable than you are," the girl muttered under her breath.

Yui was oblivious to the comment but Ritsu was close enough to pick up on it and start chuckling, giving the younger girl a good-natured slap on the back for good measure. That caught Yui's attention and the drummer only laughed harder when Yui voiced her confusion over Ritsu's actions.

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Azusa muffled a small sigh as she set her teacup and saucer on the desk.

So this was the light music club. The atmosphere really was different from what Azusa was used to in the jazz club. The light music club didn't run a fixed schedule, and they weren't even half as serious as the jazz club. Azusa thought that she would be downright frustrated at this club but that was not quite the case. Sure, the fact that they seemed to be more of a dessert appreciation clu than a light music club did irk Azusa a little, but not quite enough to stop the girl from dropping by time and time again. The ambience of this club was warmer; its members were very close-knit. It was difficult to replicate such close kinship in a bigger club like the one Azusa was in.

"You mark my words, kid; you'll join our ranks soon enough," the light music club's drummer announced with a grin as Azusa accepted the cake that Mugi-senpai offered (in her defence, Azusa did put up a show of being hesitant to receive the treat).

The Nakano girl didn't reply, deciding to dig into the cake instead.

She liked the light music club (although some of the seniors could be exasperating at times) but not quite enough to switch clubs just like that. They just weren't – how could she put it? – her cup of tea.

Azusa hid the smile she cracked at her own pun by taking a sip from the tea cup the Mugi-senpai had set aside for her.

Like Mio-senpai had said: "It's good to take a break once in a while."

There were forty-three days left till the concert.

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.

{"I really think that you should be more involved in guiding them."}

It didn't take long for her to receive a response. The message read:

{"They're fine on their own. What has gotten you so concerned anyway?"}

She couldn't help but frown, quickly punching in her reply.

{"You mentioned that the leader's name was 'Tainaka'. It's triggering alarm bells in my head but I can't remember why. Guess it can't be that important if I can't recall the reason behind it."}

{"Hmm… I'll admit that it does sound a little familiar. I can't quite pinpoint where from, either."}

{"Just watch out for them, will you?"}

{"Will do. And hey, don't you have your own job to worry about?"}

She chuckled at her friend's response, flipping her phone shut and stuffing it into her pocket.

It wasn't a secret that she had taken an interest in those girls ever since she came across their stunt at _Izakaya _– and they have only gotten even more interesting by the day. She couldn't explain it but something was nagging at her about Hirasawa's story ever since the girl came in quite some time ago, and now the name _'Tainaka'_ was bothering her as well. Some might dismiss it as nothing more than a gut feeling but, hey, her intuition had saved her life more than a couple of times.

She stretched in her seat before hunching over the papers on her desk.

Well, it was time to get back to work.

:::


	10. Chapter 9

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc Two: _Fuwa Fuwa Time._

Chapter Nine.

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Ritsu was just thanking Mugi for the cake when Mio finally emerged from the store room, hefting along some metallic contraption as she did. The drummer could only raise an eyebrow when Mio deposited the device on the desks. Silverware clattered as the desks shook under the object's substantial weight. Ritsu found it rather impressive that not a drop of tea was spilled although the teacups rattled quite a tad against their saucers. From the corner of her eye, Ritsu caught Yui and Mugi leaning forward to get a better look of what Mio had dug out in her attempt to clear the store room.

"A boombox, Mio?" asked the club president, head tilted to the side in curiosity.

Mio nodded in affirmation; it was indeed a boombox, and it was an absurdly filthy one. Ritsu had to steel herself against the temptation on blowing the dust up into the air; it didn't take a genius to figure out that Mio would have her head for doing that. The portable cassette player that Mio had found was simple in its design, with two loudspeakers, a radio tuner and a small pocket to house a cassette tape. It didn't take long before keen amber eyes noted something that might have sparked Mio's interest in the vintage music player.

"It has a tape in," Ritsu murmured more to herself than for the benefit of anyone else in the room.

The drummer's fingers skimmed over the buttons, collecting grime as they did. She brushed them over the grooves on the plastic buttons till she found the one that she was looking for: the eject button. Without a second thought, Ristu plucked the cassette tape from its holder and flipped it over to find symbols that she couldn't quite recognise scrawled over it in marker.

By then, the other girls of the light music club were congregated around their club president, each peering curiously at the object in their leader's open palm. Ristu rolled it over in her hand a couple of times. She looked towards her best friend – the brains of their little duo – and raised her eyebrows when Mio caught her glance. The bassist shook her head; no, Mio couldn't identify the markings either.

The blonde of quartet, however, had been staring fixedly on the plastic cassette. Yui nudged her captain and discreetly pointed at their friend. This was one of the rare times that Mugi had a frown on her face; the pianist's distinctive eyebrows were knitted as she focused on the tape, as if she was determined to figure something out.

Taking the cue from Yui, Ritsu asked, "Thinking hard there, Mugi?"

"It's in romaji," was Mugi's quiet reply.

At Mugi's gesture, Ritsu handed the cassette tape over to the blonde. She watched as Mugi's lips seemed to frame the indiscernible scribbling to herself. Ritsu asked:

"Are you familiar with the Outsider language, Mugi?"

"A little," admitted the pianist. "Some of the contracts that otou-sama got me to read through referred to material in the language of the outside world; otou-sama taught me some of the more rudimentary things about the language. I'm not fluent at it but I can read – if given time. These words on the cassette… It says [Death Devil]."

"_'Desu Devuiru_'? What does that mean?"

"I'm not very sure because I don't come across these words very often but I think it has something to do with… death."

The silence was so complete that it might have been possible to hear a pin drop in another classroom. The four girls stared down at the innocent-looking cassette tape, a little horror mixed into their inquisitive stares. Being the one who usually broke the tension, Ritsu started talking before she could even register what it was that she was saying.

"How about that, Mio?" Ritsu said with a thin chuckle. "Leave it to you to find some cursed object. Maybe it's a sound recording of some satanic ritual - a curse waiting to be unleashed on a sweet, unsuspecting – OUCH!"

"Shut up!" Mio cried, clobbering her friend. The bassist pried the tape from Mugi's grip and shoved it at Ritsu, who was gingerly tending to the bruise on her head.

"Put it back in the cassette player and get rid of it," Mio said firmly.

Ritsu knew better than to retort. She had spooked Mio; Ritsu could see it in Mio's grey eyes that the bassist was afraid. The raven-haired girl was just trying to hide the fact that she was rattled. Ritsu understood; where they came from, fear was an indicator of weakness. Shy, timid Mio had learned to tuck her fear behind a stern mask in defence.

She was just about to pop the (cursed) tape back into its player when Ritsu spotted a scrap of paper wedged in a small crack. Not one to look before she leaped, Ritsu pulled it out. The piece of paper was folded on itself over and over again till it was about the size of the girl's thumb nail. She made a quick job of unfolding what was apparently a note.

**_{I see you've found our note. Good job, maggots._**

**_We had to get all our crap destroyed when we graduated – can't leave evidence behind and all that jazz – but we thought we'd try to sneak a little something in for our… successors._**

**_Play the tape for yourselves if you think you're woman enough for it, kids. Let us warn you that our music isn't for the faint-hearted._**

**_Still think your light music club is band material?_**

**_\- [Death Devil]}_**

"Huh," Ritsu exhaled, partially in relief. She wouldn't admit it but the whole idea of finding a haunted cassette tape had shaken her up a little as well. "It looks like it's a 'gift' from a light music club some years back."

She flipped the note over, wondering if there was anything on the back of it – and there was. In her hand was a photograph. The picture was a little blurry, damaged by the elements over time. All across the picture were faded white lines, marking the creases along the folds. Frozen in time were four young women. Although they each wore at least one item of black, they seemed to have a colour scheme going for each of them: blue, red, purple and white.

"What do you think?" asked Ritsu, throwing the question out in general but her eyes were set on Yui. The guitarist had been squinting at the photograph, as if she was trying to figure something out.

"They look… kind of goofy," murmured Yui, eliciting a laugh from Ritsu. The 'captain' gave the other girl a good-natured slap on the back. Yui responded with a carefree smile, flashing a 'peace' sign.

Shaking her head and chuckling to herself, Ritsu popped the cassette back into the boombox and hit 'play'. All the members of the light music club leaned in, more than eager to see if they could match their predecessors.

.

.

.

Not too long after, all four girls sat in stunned silence. They were partially in shock of the gravelly voice screaming at them at the end of the tape but they were mostly steeping in awe. Goofy or not, Death Devil was _good_. Their tracks were consistent with their image, and it was clear that the members of Death Devil knew exactly what their musical direction was. Sure, the music might not be quite their cup of tea but the talent was undeniable.

"Wow," Mio breathed out under her breath. She turned to look at her best friend and was able to tell what was on Ritsu's mind from the look on the drummer girl's face.

The current light music club really needed to step up their game.

.

.

.

"We really need to figure out what we want our music to sound like," said Mio to Mugi.

The blonde hummed in agreement as she continued to fold her freshly laundered clothes and putting them away. Yui would join them after dinner with Ui, and Ritsu should be returning from goodness-knows-where soon enough. Mio turned sharply around when she heard Mugi emit a squeak of surprise. There was a rapping on the window – and their room was on the third floor of the building.

The bassist headed over to the window, unlatched it, and swung it wide open.

"Oh my," whispered Mugi as Ritsu tumbled through the open window in a heap.

Ritsu lay on their floor spread-eagled, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. The girl's cheeks held a rosy tint, both from exertion and the cold night's air. She grinned the way only Ritsu could – raw and exuberant enough to light up the room. Ritsu flung an arm across her eyes, shielding them from the light.

"You could've just used the door – you know, like a _normal person_ would."

Mio shook her head as Ritsu (once again) waved off her comment. In spite of herself, Mio smiled. Some things never changed, and Ritsu's need to blow off steam through exercise was one of them.

"What were you up to this time around?" Mio asked.

"Parkour."

"Nice. So you're all worked up and sweaty. It's only a matter of time before the pong of your sweat stinks up the place."

Ritsu stuck her tongue out in retort, fully aware that Mio was just teasing. Mio tuned her bass as her two friends engaged in chit chat. Ritsu was filling Mugi in on the idea of parkour. Soon enough, Ritsu excused herself to go take a quick shower, promising to return in time for their meeting,

"Ricchan really is something, isn't she?" the blonde girl giggled after the door shut with a click.

Mio shrugged noncommittally despite the smile that tugged at her lips. "Yeah. I guess she is. She can be a little much at times, though."

For as long as Mio knew her, Ritsu has been brimming with a sort of confidence that Mio didn't possess. Be it the hyperactive six-year-old, the beat-up twelve-year-old or the daring seventeen-year-old, Ritsu always has an air of energy and self-assurance about her that compelled people to follow her lead. Sure, Mio's best friend might not be the most responsible person around but she was charismatic enough that people believed in her. Coupled with Ritsu's self-sacrificing and loyal ways, Mio would follow Ritsu to the ends of the earth (even if Ritsu does do something stupid every so often).

It was Mio's job to keep Ritsu in check so that the club president could do her job – and Mio wasn't really as bothered by her role as much as she made it out to be. Mio would be the first to believe in Ritsu and the last to give up on her. She would stand by Ritsu through thick and thin.

That's what best friends are for… right?

Knowing that her friend would forget it if Mio didn't remind her, Mio decided to drop Ritsu an email telling her to bring 'the box' along with her.

.

.

.

"So what do you think? Pretty awesome, isn't it?" asked Ritsu, beaming from the concert recording that they had just watched.

Yui nibbled a stick of Pocky. She tilted her head a little before asking, "Would we have to ruin our instruments after a concert?"

'Of all the things that she could have asked,' thought Ritsu to herself, brow twitching slightly.

From the opposite side of the room, Mugi giggled. It didn't take long for Ritsu to figure out that Mugi had caught sight of the look on her face. The drummer offered a sheepish smile in response; the tips of her ears were tinted pink with embarrassment.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Mio supplied Yui with an answer.

There goes the calm and collected Mio. Ritsu knew that if she were the one to have asked the question, the Akiyama girl would have rewarded her with a smart rap to the head. It was not like the punch really hurt Ritsu or anything, though – that was just the dynamics of their friendship.

Sometimes, Ritsu couldn't help but imagine what it would be like of Mio hadn't become her friend when they were children. Sure, younger Mio might be shy and timid, but her younger self… Maybe she was a little obnoxious in her childhood days (and perhaps even then, at seventeen years old). People thought that Mio would have had trouble making friends if it weren't for Ritsu but Ritsu would beg to differ; Mio would be the type to keep a few dear friends close to her heart whereas Ritsu would probably have a load of 'hi-bye' friends but none that actually _knew_ her.

Ritsu was glad to have met Mio but it might be time for Ritsu to expand her circle of 'true friends'. The drummer knew that it was hard for others to get to know her because the first person that Ritsu would turn to in any situation was Mio. Sometimes, the two best friends would slip in their own little world without either party noticing it; it was completely unintentional but the two of them just had a way of making others feel left out because of their closeness.

Despite being submerged in her thoughts, Ritsu noticed Yui saying something that made Mugi giggle and Mio smile.

The Tainaka girl might be friendly in general but she chose her friends extremely carefully. So far, only Mio was allowed into her world. Perhaps… Perhaps she should start letting Yui and Mugi in as well.

.

.

.

"Mio-chan and I looked through what we have so far and we seem to be gearing up towards…"

Here Mugi trailed off to send an uncertain glance towards Mio. The dark-haired girl gave a firm nod and concluded.

"Rock music."

"Eh!" exclaimed Yui, bolting upright. "Isn't rock music sort of banned?"

Mugi looked towards Mio, and then Ritsu. Rock music was practically anathema in the Republic of Greater East Asia, and many people considered it illegal after the Nanahara-Nakagawa case – just to be safe. As far as she knew, Mio and Ritsu had thought that rock music was banned altogether – it actually wasn't; music that contained anti-government sentiments, however, was. She really should tell them, seeing as Ritsu had begun arguing for rock music, but it was always a risk to perform rock in public. Mugi really just wanted to have a great time playing music with her friends. She didn't really want people keeping tabs on them.

"We could always play rock music in private!" argued Ritsu, only to be shot down by Mio.

"We're supposed to be preparing for a performance, Ritsu."

"But, Mio, I know you like playing rock, too–"

"My preference doesn't matter," countered the bassist. "Rock music isn't safe for a public performance; people might get the wrong ideas."

Ritsu opened her mouth, an argument on the tip of her tongue, when Mugi cut in.

"We could always play pop," suggested the blonde a little too eagerly.

The ojou-sama just wanted to diffuse the situation before it escalated any further. Mio and Ritsu may be best friends but they do disagree too frequently for comfort. Sure, they always made up but Mugi hated seeing her friends fight.

Yui was quick to agree: "Mugi-chan has a great idea! I like J-Pop."

Mugi and Yui held their breath as they watched Ritsu. The Tainaka looked thoughtful albeit undefeated. Mugi mentally prepared herself in case Ritsu decided to re-ignite the debate. Eventually, the drummer sighed.

"Maybe we should ask Sawa-chan-sensei; she is our advisor after all."

The concert was in twenty-seven days. Ritsu has got less than a month to change their minds.

.

.

.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the girls, a certain guitarist had nicked the photograph and cassette tape they had found when they finally left the music room. While Ui got ready for bed, the elder Hirasawa played the tape on low volume, staring fixedly on the picture in her hand. She couldn't place her finger on it but that voice on the tape and two out of the four faces in the photograph were familiar. It unsettled Yui.

"Onee-chan, it's time to go to bed!"

"Alright. Goodnight, Ui."

"Goodnight, onee-chan."

With her eyebrows still knitted, Yui slipped into bed. The tape and picture was grasped in the hand placed under her pillow. She would figure it out.

She turned under her blanket.

Yui knew she was intuitive. The fact that the familiarity had gotten her feeling so uneasy signalled that there might be danger afoot.

The guitarist stared up at the ceiling until the sound of her sister's steady breathing filled the room.

As far as she was capable, Yui would be there to protect Ui – and she has more people that she wanted to protect now.

Yes, she would figure it out for the sake of her newfound friends.

:::


	11. Chapter 10

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc Two: _Fuwa Fuwa Time._

Chapter Ten.

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{"So… are you free this weekend?}

She raised an eyebrow at the message before punching in her reply, hoping that her teasing tone would be conveyed through the words.

{"Why? Are you asking me out?"}

{"I'll buy you a coffee."}

She rolled her eyes.

{"Yeah, whatever. It's a date, then."}

.

.

.

Kotobuki Tsumugi was stuck.

Her father had allowed her to reside in the boarding school on the condition that she wrote to him – and the email that she was drafting was long overdue. Mugi began the email with a salutation that she thought was awkwardly formal-yet-not, along with an apology for not writing sooner. She tried to compensate for her absence by filling him in on as much of what has happened as she could remember (though she definitely wasn't going to mention that little stint at _Izakaya_ to him) but found that there really wasn't much that a teenage girl would like to tell her father. Mugi then decided to take the easy way out and write to him about her friends.

Writing about her newfound friends was easy (for the most part) but that could be because they were so easy to love.

Mugi wrote about Yui first. Many of the stories that she deemed appropriate for her father's knowledge were centred on Yui and the happy-go-lucky girl's adorkable antics. Yui was unbelievably optimistic – even more so than Mugi herself – with a smile that was absolutely contagious; it even made Mio crack into the smallest of smiles when Mio was being all responsible. If there was anyone who could brighten up Mugi's day, it was Yui; that was why Mugi made sure to have various treats sent to her from home over the weekends. Mio and Azusa might make a huge fuss over the girl's odd sources of motivation but Mugi had a hunch that they found it endearing, too. It was Hirasawa Yui's very quirks that made her the perfect Yui-chan.

Mio was the perfect roommate. The light music club's bassist was quiet, disciplined (mostly), studious and incredibly kind-hearted. Mio might sigh whenever she helped Yui with yet another chord that the guitarist should have memorised, or she might rap Ritsu against the head with her knuckles when the drummer crawled into their room begging Mio to study with her (well, actually, Ricchan was just trying to get her hands on Mio's special self-made notes riddled with tricks and hints), but Mugi could tell that Mio enjoyed being able to help. It was also evident that Mio was the one who had made the most effort in trying to learn music theory on her own accord as compared to the rest of the club; as a result, Mugi really enjoyed collaborating with her. Mio often tried to act all mature and responsible but Mugi thought that the real Mio-chan was the one who would turn her face away and tried to change the topic whenever Ritsu started on anything related to horror.

With all that being said, Mugi still hit a wall when it came to writing about Ricchan.

Despite being friends, Ritsu was a girl that terrified Mugi and filled her with awe at the same time. She might have forgiven Ritsu about the whole pickpocketing incident but it was definitely not something that Mugi would forget; instead, Mugi caught herself wondering about an edgier, wilder side of Ritsu at times. The club's president was quite rash and rather opportunistic, but she was also fiercely protective of her friends and extremely resourceful; Ritsu might not be the perfect, responsible leader but she was definitely down-to-earth and had much more tact than what she was given credit for.

Although it went unsaid, Mugi knew that Ritsu would be the type to go the extra mile for a friend, even if that meant that someone was going to get hurt in the process. Mugi pretended not to notice but Ritsu would come to practice with her knuckles so bruised that it must have hurt for the girl to even hold her drumsticks firmly enough to play. Mio, having caught the blonde's concerned glances, had later explained that Ritsu would occasionally train on punching bags, and that a good session at the gym would leave a grin on Ritsu's face. As a kid, Ritsu wasn't above beating up anyone who terrorized her best friend or her younger brother.

That was why it was so hard to write about Ritsu: Mugi couldn't capture the essence of who Ricchan was without seeming to imply that Ritsu was some sort of juvenile delinquent with violent tendencies.

Mugi sighed into her palm. The way Ritsu carried herself was in great contrast with Mugi's self; she was the girl that Mugi would never be – could that be the reason Mugi found Ritsu so amazing and intimidating at the same time?

The blonde was just about to try describing Ritsu to her father once more when she heard the doorknob of the room rattle.

"Welcome back, Mio-chan," greeted Mugi with a ready smile. "You look pleased today."

"I am," Mio replied. "I had a really productive day at the library."

Mio had barely set her backpack down when she swivelled around with a notebook in her hands. During the short time they've spent as roommates, Mugi has come to recognise it as the book in which Mio would jot her ideas. If that wasn't enough to clue Mugi in on Mio's hit of inspiration, the eagerness splashed across Mio's face let the cat out of the bag. It was rare that Mio would let her calm countenance drop just like that.

"I know it sounds a little aggressive but I just couldn't let it go."

Mugi scooted on the bed to allow Mio room. The handwritten score that Mio had drawn in her jotter looked promising to Mugi, prompting the girl to move over to her keyboard to try out the tune. The music, along with Mio's enthusiasm, drove the blonde to add a couple more lines as well as suggest some amendments to help smooth some parts out.

The blonde was very on board with the idea. The two roommates then launched into a music-writing session littered all over with easy conversation.

Perhaps the email to her father could wait a little longer.

.

.

.

Yui might think that she was being covert but Sawako could feel the teenager's scrutinizing gaze on her from across the hallway. The second-year student seemed to stare at her with knitted brow and pursed lips. Sawako could practically hear the gears turning in the girl's head.

The young teacher bit her lip. The Hirasawa girl couldn't be on to her, could she?

From what Sawako had heard from the girl's teacher, Yui was a cheerful student. Whimsical would be a rather nice way to put the girl's demeanour – most would just chalk it up to Yui being rather airheaded.

But Sawako didn't buy the idea.

Her gut had told her that the student was hiding something ever since their first meeting – when Yui had pleaded with Sawako to help her enrol in Sakuragaoka High School.

And now that she has put some thought into it, the ragtag bunch that made up the light music club was definitely an intriguing lot.

There was Ritsu, whose surname sounded sort of familiar to the young woman in a rather uncomfortable way. And Tsumugi, a tycoon's daughter, had transferred into the school all of a sudden – as did Yui, bringing with her a rather dubious explanation for her academic absence in the previous year. It seemed that the only 'normal' one was in the quartet was Mio…

"Good morning, Yamanaka-sensei!"

Sawako was at least a little startled. She turned around to find one of the light music club's members behind her. It was the exuberant one, Tainaka Ritsu – the president of said club. It didn't take long before Yui wandered by as well, greeting the teacher.

"Yamanaka-sensei, could you please come by practice today? Being a music teacher and all, we're hoping that you could help us with our musical direction and all that. The performance is coming up fast– "

"Ricchan, it's her."

Sawako could only blink at Yui's non-sequitur statement. She was about to ask the girl to clarify on the seemingly random declaration when Ritsu stole the question right off the tip of her tongue.

"What's that? I don't get it," said Ritsu, swivelling on the spot to face her friend instead. It wasn't exactly how Sawako would have phrased the question but it had definitely captured the gist of it.

But it looked as if that question would remain unanswered as Yui posed a question of her own. The youngest of the three brunettes asked:

"Sawachan-sensei, you're an alumna of this school, right?"

It seemed as if Yui's way of thinking tended to skip around a bit. Taken aback by the abrupt change in conversation flow, Sawako was in a stupor when she confirmed that there was truth in that premise. Yui took a step towards the teacher, which prompted Sawako took a step back to maintain the distance between them. Ritsu hooked her finger at the back of Yui's blouse's collar to keep the girl from moving forward but that did nothing to prevent the girl from inspecting the grown woman from different angles. To say that Sawako was only a little perturbed was an understatement.

Noticing the teacher's discomfort, Ritsu executed a light chop on her friend's head before asking, "What are you going on about, private?"

Yui hummed to herself as she continued to examine the teacher. The young guitarist eventually answered, "Do you remember the things that Mio-chan found the other day, Ricchan? I've been wondering about that."

That had Sawako on alert. They couldn't have found out about _that_, could they?

"W-Where did you girls find those things and where are they now?" Sawako chose to ask despite the risk of making the situation worse.

It was the drummer who answered. Ritsu's hazel eyes darted to the top right corner briefly as she thought. The sudden development of things had caught Ritsu off guard and the girl was more than a little lost about what was happening. The teacher was acting highly suspicious, and that made Ritsu question if it was safe to reveal the answer; after all, the material in question wasn't exactly in line with the nation's vision of an independent and progressive republic. But, then again, Yamanaka Sawako seemed to be aware of what they were referring to. Ritsu took the risk and drawled out a hesitant, "It's still in the music room, I guess…"

.

.

.

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry to have to cut our conversation short but I've just remembered that I have some urgent matters that need attending to. Please excuse me."

Sawako took all but three shaky steps before breaking out into a sprint, leaving the two astonished students in the dust. But if the sounds of a loud "Hey!" and thundering footsteps were anything to go by, Tainaka Ritsu was probably hot on Sawako's heels.

She was persistent, Sawako would give the kid that. She may not look like it much but Sawako was built to run, and she did go running often. Yet, this Tainaka girl matched her speed even as she raced up the stairs and blazed through the corridors as fast as she could. The light music club's drummer refused to be thrown off even when Sawako executed extremely sharp turns that would have sent an ordinary person barrelling into the nearest wall. When the teacher leapt over the book trolley that had appeared out of nowhere, the student was quick to follow suit, scaring the man who had been pushing the cart near witless; when Sawako dove under the table that was being moved out of one of the classrooms, Ritsu performed a clean slide under the very same table just in case the shock caused one of the men to lose his grip; and when the bespectacled woman bulleted through the hula hoops that the gymnastics club was borrowing, the teenager jumped right over the mess of rings on the ground without missing a beat. And as irritating as it might be to be pursued, Sawako had to admit that she was somewhat impressed by the young musician's running prowess. Well, at least the obstacles along the way had been enough to slow Ritsu down and increase the distance between the two of them.

Sawako thought she might have just enough time to get to the music room, snatch up the things in question, and dart right out of the way before Ritsu could get to the door. Just as she had expected, the old cassette player was right there on top of the desks; the girls really should learn to put their things away when they aren't using the room. Sawako did not count on the boombox being missing the tape that it was supposed to house, however. The educator was busy rummaging through the shelves in the clubroom when the door was flung open with gusto.

"So it really was you." The even tone of voice made Sawako's sweat run cold.

The tawny-haired drummer was standing squarely in the middle of the doorway, sealing off one of the exits. She could probably make a break for it through the window but Sawako wasn't quite so desperate yet; they were on one of the higher levels of the building, after all. And besides, there are worse things to be called out on, right?

"Whoever it is that Yui thought you might be – you _are_ her, aren't you?" accused Ritsu. "You wouldn't have ran otherwise."

It was then that the light music club's president was joined by the rest of the members. Yui looked on with an intense gaze, carefully assessing the situation. To her sides were Mugi and Mio. The two girls were exchanging puzzled looks and chancing a couple of nervous glances at the teacher; they appeared as if they had been dragged here by Yui without much of an explanation beforehand.

The guitarist then extracted Death Devil's note from her blazer's pocket and held it out for all to see. She placed her finger of her other hand on the figure in red and said:

"This is you, isn't it, Sawachan-sensei?"

Sawako recoiled from the sight of it. She turned her back on the girls and leaned against the desks, her head hung low in defeat.

"How could you tell?"

Behind her, Yui was just about to answer the teacher's rhetorical question when Ritsu nudged at the girl to be silent. For some reason, the drummer had been expecting a monologue from Sawako – much like what happens during 'the big reveal' in video games. Mio and Mugi continued standing silently, hoping that some light would finally be shed on whatever this was about.

"Yes, I used to be in the light music club," Sawako continued. She could hear Mugi whisper that she hadn't expected that.

"So, the voice at the end of the tape – the one that yelled at us – was that you as well, sensei?" asked Yui. That girl really was forcing Sawako into a corner.

Sawako sighed. She ran a hand over her face before admitting, "That was really embarrassing… But, yes, that is my voice."

Mio gasped in response, taking an involuntary step backwards. Ritsu reached out to the taller girl to steady her. The mischievous girl would usually be the first to tease Mio for not getting over such a small thing but she managed to bite her tongue for once; no, this really wasn't the time for that.

"Oh? You can play the guitar, then, sensei?" Mugi ventured. This was followed by a chirp from Yui, encouraging the teacher to play some. It wasn't lost on Sawako that all traces of Yui's solemnity from earlier had vanished. Sawako was relieved at that; there are worse things to be called out on, after all.

It was as if a switch was flicked on once Yui's Les Paul was placed in Sawako's hands. It was calling out to her – the potential of this very guitar in her grasp. The Les Paul's unique weight from its mahogany and maple blend was not lost on her; and when her finger plucked against the guitar's sixth string, the sweet and round sound of it electrified Sawako right down to her soul. It– It was all too much for her!

Before she knew it, Sawako– no, _Catherine_ had whipped off her glasses with the flourish of a woman possessed.

"Well, what the hell," she declared as she began milking Yui's guitar for all it was worth. Shredding, tapping, and even teeth-playing – Catherine did it all. She didn't even bat an eyelash when Yui sobbed, "My guitar!"

"You've been using the music room as you please," shrieked Catherine. The mix of outrage and authority in her tone had all members of the present light music club sinking to their knees in a deep bow, apologising for their foolishness.

Catherine was ready to give the girls the tongue-lashing of their lives when the door opened yet again, cutting her right off.

.

.

.

"Excuse me for intruding. I knocked on the door earlier but there was no response, so I thought I'd let myself in–"

Azusa immediately stopped herself at the sight before her. Yamanaka-sensei – the sweet and kindly Yamanaka-sensei that all the girls on campus were fond of – was downright _yelling_ at her four seniors, all of whom were in _dogeza_ position. Only Ritsu dared to look up and acknowledge Azusa's presence.

_'W-What is going on here?'_ thought Azusa, a droplet of sweat trickling down the back of her neck. This was obviously a bad time; she should probably come back later. Yes, later would be a better time. It was a good thing that she still had a hand on the doorknob.

"Please excuse me," said Azusa as she made a hasty retreat. The twin-tailed girl didn't bother looking back even when the teacher called out for her to wait. No, Azusa really didn't want to be caught up in this mess.

Unbeknownst to the young, raven-haired musician, Azusa had probably saved the light music club members for the second time in a short amount of time.

:::


	12. Chapter 11

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc Two: _Fuwa Fuwa Time._

Chapter Eleven.

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"It's our original piece," Mio declared once they've finished the song.

Ritsu followed up on the statement with a question towards their two-man audience. "So what do you think?"

Azusa and Sawako traded glances. If the glimmer of hope in Azusa's eyes was any indication, the young jazz club member had probably helped write the guitar's part in the arrangement. Sawako sighed; she would try and let them down easy, then.

"Well, I noticed a couple of things like how the beat was inconsistent at places, and that the rhythm section was not in sync–" the two childhood friends looked towards each other here "– but above all else… Do you not have vocals for this piece?"

The four performers plus Azusa immediately froze. It was evident to Sawako that they probably haven't even written lyrics for the song yet.

"W-well," Yui stalled.

Were these girls really ready for the stage by the time of the next school festival? They were in a tighter spot than Sawako had thought.

"What have you been doing all these time?" Sawako couldn't help but ask. "The music room isn't a place for having tea, you know?"

Mugi looked particularly guilty at the berating out of the downcast bunch. By her side, Yui looked downright mortified at the idea of practice without tea. Nevertheless, the four girls apologised yet again.

"Geez, you girls," Sawako sighed. "And besides all that, don't you think your sound is a little too much like that of a rock track at the moment? Same thing goes for your cover of _Tsubasa wo Kudasai _but that might be safer seeing as it's a folk song."

Mio murmured something that sounded suspiciously like, "That was what I was trying to tell Ritsu."

Ritsu, however, was within earshot of the comment. The drummer was immensely tempted to blow a raspberry at her best friend but that would not be the best for their club at the moment – especially when they were in the midst of getting actual advice about their music.

"Couldn't they pass it off as a pop song, though?" Azusa piped up. "The bass and drums for the song is rather strong but if we could make the guitar parts sound less aggressive…"

"No, the guitar's fine for now," Sawako interjected. She was thinking hard, putting some serious consideration into Azusa's suggestion. "We probably could disguise the song as one from different genre, I guess. Since the lyrics have yet to be written, we could make the lyrics as unlike that of a rock song as possible."

"But wouldn't we get in trouble if someone in the audience realises that we are indeed playing rock?"

"Probably not," Sawako replied. "Rock music isn't exactly put up on a pedestal around here but it isn't banned altogether. We'll just have to keep the lyrics safe for public's ears."

"Really?" exclaimed Ritsu, leaning forward in her seat behind the drums. "You're not kidding, right?"

The girl then proceeded to pump her fist when the group's pianist confirmed the teacher's words. Ritsu sent a playful smirk at Mio, who returned the favour with an exaggerated rolling of her eyes. Mugi couldn't help but giggle quietly at the two's introduction; try as Mio may to look exasperated by Ritsu's antics, the Kototbuki heiress could tell from the lighted grey eyes that her roommate was glad to be able to play rock as well. Meanwhile, Yui had begun power-posing with her guitar. If they were going to rock their very first performance, she would have to look the part of a musician, wouldn't she?

The question on the tip of Azusa's tongue was _'What in the world are you doing, Yui-senpai?'_ but the girl decided that there were more important things at hand. Instead, she asked, "So we'll just need lyrics, right? I wonder who's going to write them."

The answer was instantaneous. "Mio, of course. Who else would it be?"

"_Ritsu!_"

If Ritsu so much as noticed Mio's protest, she certainly did not notice. She was more interested in what Azusa had said. "And did you just say 'we', Nakano? Now, I know we're cool and all that but you'll still need to hand in your application before– _Ouch!_ Geez, Mio."

"Don't just volunteer a person up for the job without taking their consent into consideration–"

"I know, but you're the most suited for the job, Mio," said Ritsu.

Her thoughtful tone was enough to stop Mio's tirade at the drop of a hat. The noise around the two had ceased as well; every person in the room was focused on the pair, waiting patiently for what Ritsu was going to say.

In an even voice, Ritsu added, "You have great musicality, and you've always had a spark for writing. You won an award for that composition in elementary school, remember? I've always been impressed by that. And besides, you were a member of the literature club; I'm sure you've picked up plenty of skills there that you can use."

"Ritsu, I–"

"And I would do the job but – let's face it – I can't write for nuts," Ritsu shrugged. "Remember that poetry disaster back when we were in second grade?"

How could Mio forget? Just being reminded of it was enough to make laughter bubble up out of the bassist. The memory was clear as day to her. There was Ritsu, standing head and shoulders above everyone else up on her chair. The young girl cleared her throat audibly, looking very much as if she was going to make an important announcement. Mio could still recall the furrow in Ritsu's brow and the determined set of her jaw as the brunette unfolded her homework assignment in a very solemn manner. Mio had leaned forward in her desk, eager to hear what masterpiece her dear friend had prepared.

And in the clearest voice possible, Ritsu announced: _"'Tins. Beans. Sardines.'_ That is all."

The class laughed till their belly ached, and Ritsu sent them all a toothy grin. She hadn't even bothered to use conjunctions in her three-word poem, Mio recalled. Their teacher, however, was unamused by the girl's efforts. Ritsu was told to get off her chair immediately and stand outside in the hallway until class was over. The class clown just shrugged and sauntered away, but not before sending Mio a covert wink that had the raven-haired girl slapping her hands over her mouth to stop the giggles that threatened to spill out.

In present time, Mio could only shake her head. "It was third grade, you idiot – not second."

Ritsu waved it off.

"Details, details," she said. "But you get the point, right? The only person that I can place all my trust in for this job is you, Mio."

Mio paused for a bit before nodding her head. Cheers from their fellow members erupted all around her. She thought that Mugi might have been a little teary-eyed from the display of camaraderie but Mio didn't have time to be sure. Yui had hurtled her way towards Mio, capturing Mio in a hug that nearly sent the taller girl toppling over.

"Mio-chaaan~!"

"Mou, Yui," Mio said as she tried to free herself from the guitarist's grip. Yui's arms around Mio's middle only tightened in response. The bassist only deflated at that, listlessly submitting to the brunette's affections.

Ritsu merely chuckled before walking over to give Mio a good-natured slap on the back, saying, "Atta girl, Mio."

"Geez, Ritsu. What am I going to do with you?" said Mio. "That was really embarrassing."

It was then that Mio realised that Ritsu had been laying it on a little thick with the compliments earlier – a little _too _thick, in her opinion. The drummer hadn't even considered getting Mugi – the most experienced musician out of the four of them – or Yui – who was arguably the sweetest of the lot – to write the lyrics. Ritsu had zeroed in on Mio right away and had made it seem like Mio was the only one who could make things work. All of a sudden, Mio was struck by a bolt from the blue.

"_Ritsu,_" she hissed.

The sheepish chuckle that she received in return was more than enough to clue Mio in that Ritsu had indeed been planning on teasing her over the lyrics. After all, Ritsu was the only one present who knew of Mio 'romantic side' (as Ritsu termed it). Mio huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and steadfastly ignoring Ritsu's attempts to calm her down.

Geez, what did she think this was – a joke? Well, then – two can play that game. Mio was going to write the sweetest, most embarrassing cavity-inducing song there ever was. And the best part? She could blame it on trying to distract the audience from their rock-influenced sound as much as possible.

… Okay, she'll bite.

Maybe she _was_ a little excited for an excuse to write some incredibly cutesy lyrics on her own accord.

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Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

To say that Mio was frustrated was an understatement; she felt absolutely murderous at the moment. The second-year student pinched at the bridge of her nose and exhaled slowly, picturing all the pent-up tension leaving her being as she did so. It did not help much, she decided, but it was enough to take the edge off the throbbing in her left temple.

She gave the room a once-over before slumping over at her desk. She had just spent the better part of three hours bent over a sheet of paper with nothing to show for it but a few crossed-out lines and rapidly depleting patience. How pathetic. She was quite glad that the room was empty; Mio really didn't want any of her friends seeing her so drained over a bout of writer's block.

It was about a quarter-to-six in the evening, she noted. That meant that the rest of the girls had left to grab dinner a mere fifteen minutes ago, though it might have felt like it has been an eternity since. That also meant that it has been an hour or so since she had snapped at Ritsu and thrown their resident drummer out of the clubroom after deeming the rambunctious girl a nuisance. Mio winced at that. Perhaps it was high time to apologise to Ritsu; she really had crossed the line back then, hasn't she? She wouldn't be surprised if she had scared the rest of her friends off with that show of fury.

Mio buried her face in her hands; why did she have to be socially inept? She really should have kept her rage in check, and she should have known better than to take it out on Ritsu. It was _Ritsu_, for crying out loud; that girl couldn't sit still even if it would save her life. Mio shouldn't have–

"Yo."

The bassist immediately straightened up in her seat. It was Ritsu who had greeted Mio from the drummer's place near the door. The drummer had her hazel eyes averted, and one of her hands was stuffed carelessly in her blazer's pocket. Those eyes (amber in the dying sunlight, Mio noted) snuck a look Mio's way before darting away just as quickly. Ritsu coughed a little to clear her throat.

"How are you doing?" asked the tawny-haired girl, awkwardly trying to test waters.

Mio tried to swipe at her teary, grey eyes as quickly as possible (lest Ritsu should tease her for crying over something as menial as song lyrics) but a sniffle still escaped. Ritsu's head perked up at the sound of it, and the alarm that was written across the brunette's face was evident. The drummer made her way across the room in a heartbeat.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" said Ritsu. The drummer touched her knuckles to the back of her best friend's hand. "I know I can be exasperating at the best of times but I just can't help it, you know? That's a really lame excuse but–"

"It is."

"What?"

"A lame excuse," clarified Mio. "That's a really lame excuse, but it's true nonetheless. I _know_ well enough that you just can't sit still whenever you're bored or excited. So it's really my fault for lashing out at you. I'm sorry, Ritsu."

The Tainaka just flashed Mio a smile and shrugged, "That's all just bridge under the water–"

"Water under the bridge," Mio corrected. At the sight of Ritsu's confused look, she added, "The phrase is 'water under the bridge.'"

"Pshh, I knew that."

Mio couldn't help but roll her eyes though a smile touched at her lips. "Sure you did."

"Why aren't you with the others, anyway?" asked Mio. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Starving, actually," Ritsu clarified. "But I told them to pick something up for me on the way back. I can't let my best friend have dinner all by herself, can I? Though, knowing Yui, I would probably not have any fries left by the time they get here."

The tawny-haired girl bumped shoulders with Mio. "How about a break, eh? It's nearly time for dinner, anyway. And besides, a breather that might help get your creative juices flowing again."

"We don't have time for breaks, Ritsu."

"Hmm…" Ritsu hummed, snapping her fingers as she thought. "I know! How about we have ourselves a jam session, then? You on bass and I on drums – just like old times! That always got your mind off things, didn't it?"

"Well, I don't know…" Mio trailed off. It wouldn't be appropriate for them to make such a racket so late in the day, would it?

Ritsu whined out Mio's name in response, pulling the dark-haired girl to her feet by the hand. Mio could only sigh as she was dragged across the room by the shorter of the two of them. She picked up her bass and slung the strap over her shoulder. She gripped her pick with her teeth and flipped her hair back over her shoulder before turning to face Ritsu. The drummer sent her a wink before launching into a simple beat that favoured the snare drum and the hi-hat; Ritsu then invited her friend to join in with a tilt of her head.

Mio chose to begin with a C chord and let it roll from there. She could already picture the related chords in her mind though she was still rather undecided about the order of the chords for the progression. Her nose would crinkle whenever she hit a sour note but she recovered quickly enough. Once she settled on a chord pattern that satisfied her, Mio turned around to face her fellow percussionist.

With a nod from Mio, Ritsu began pushing the pace of the song forward with quicker beats from her drum. The drummer flashed a cheeky grin her way and Mio beamed in return as a familiar rush gripped them. Synergy, Mio called it; as much as she loved playing with the whole light music club, she would have to admit that they had yet to achieve that complete understanding – that _oneness_ – that was present in their music at that very moment. Mio would have to admit that she had been too caught up trying to match either Yui or Mugi these days that the rhythm section seemed to fall out of sync at times; it was inevitable that Ritsu's pacing would run without the solid thrums of Mio's bass reinforcing her timing.

The sound of their playing became increasingly aggressive as time marched on. Ritsu was now much more adventurous with the cymbals and the number of drum hits that she squeezed within a bar was beginning to vary in order to complement Mio's bassline. Mio, on the other hand, had begun venturing into alternative chord progressions, working a pre-chorus and a bridge into her music. By then, her mind was already racing with possibilities.

Ritsu raised an eyebrow when Mio began humming a melody to their music. The drummer very nearly laughed in relief; truth be told, she hadn't been absolutely certain that her friend would respond positively to the spontaneously-proposed jam session. But this – this was a much better outcome than Ritsu could have imagined.

That genuine smile on Mio's face was possibly the most rewarding thing in the world.

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.

.

And that was how the rest of the light music club found the two best friends: completely enthralled in a world where it was just them and music.

"They sound really good together, don't they, Mugi-chan?" chirped Yui through a mouthful of French fries that were meant to be Ritsu's

When her question was met with silence from her friend, Yui's curious brown eyes chanced a glance Mugi's way. The brunette's munching slowed as she gauged the blonde's reaction. Mugi had a serene smile on, and her eyes were soft as she watched the scene play out – and yet, Yui couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something else stirring behind the pianist's tranquil blue eyes. Mugi's eyes were the warmest sky blue that Yui had ever seen (not that she had seen many pairs of blue eyes, mind) but that was not the case at that moment in time. Instead, they reminded Yui of the deep blue ocean where unseen currents lurked beneath gently-rippling waves.

With knitted brow, Yui asked, "Mugi-chan?"

The brunette then felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Let's leave them be for a little longer."

Maybe it was just a figment of her overactive imagination but Yui thought that Mugi's tone was just a tiny bit wistful.

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[When I look at you, my heart goes _doki-doki_. This shaking feeling is fluffy like a marshmallow – so _fuwa-fuwa_.]

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It was silent for a moment before Ritsu abruptly headed for the door.

"Ah! Where are you going, Ricchan?"

"Excuse me while I go throw up a little," stated Ritsu flatly. _'Geez, what is with these lyrics? I feel itchy all over just from reading them.'_

"I– I thought they were rather well done considering how quickly I went through them," Mio finally piped up. "But I guess it's no good–"

Ritsu was over by Mio's side in a moment. "No, that's not it! I– I just wasn't expecting something like this is all. Come on, Yui; say something–"

"I think they're amazing," Yui gushed, grabbing Mio's hands. "I really, really like them."

"R-Really?"

"What do you think, Mugi?" Ritsu asked. To say that she was surprised by how entranced Mugi was by the scene playing out was putting it mildly. "You don't mean to say you like them, too, do you?"

"Yes."

"You're really okay with them?"

Mugi only hummed in agreement at that.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Seriously?"

"It's fine."

By then, Ritsu was looking rather mortified at the reactions she was receiving. They couldn't be serious, could they? What would their image be like as musicians who sang such sickeningly sweet songs? In her desperation, Ritsu rounded on the single other person in the room.

"Sawa-chan, I'm counting on you!"

"_Sawa-chan?_" the teacher echoed in surprise. Do these girls have even a shred of respect for the professional relationship between a teacher and her students?

"Don't you think we're moving a little too fast here?" Ritsu questioned in her panic. "I think you girls should calm down and think about it a little more first. We shouldn't be rushing into things, am I right?"

It was then that Mio started laughing. The usually reserved bassist was bent over, clutching at her middle and wiping tears from her eyes.

"You should have seen the look on your face, Ritsu," Mio pointed out.

"Geez, Mio, is this really the time?" murmured a disgruntled Ritsu.

"It was just to get back at you for volunteering me up as the songwriter, Ritsu," said Mio.

"So you'll be our vocalist, then, Mio?" It was obvious from the impish look on the drummer's face that it was a rhetorical question.

"What?! I can't sing something as embarrassing as that!"

Ritsu merely stuck out her tongue. "You should have thought about that before you went ahead and wrote something like this, Mio-chwan~"

_"Ritsu!"_

_'Those two…' _Sawako thought to herself as she ran a hand over her face.

Maybe it was time to step-up as a grown up amongst all these _children_ and put an end to the back and forth that was going on. Any more and Mugi just might pass out, if the redness in her face was any indicator. Sawako sighed and straightened up.

"We're sticking to those lyrics for now – unless Mio has something better to offer of course."

Mio had the courtesy to look a little sheepish as she shook her head, indicating that there weren't any alternatives.

"And Mio will take lead vocals–"

"I absolutely refuse! It's really too embarrassing!" Mio protested, to which Ritsu replied with an unamused, "Oi, songwriter."

Ritsu sighed, "Well, if Mio isn't up for it… How about you, Mugi? You wanted to join the choir, right?"

Mugi waved off the suggestion, citing that she would be busy with the keyboard. At the same time, Yui was sending furtive glances Ritsu's way. Ritsu decided to pick on her buddy by ignoring those looks, choosing to put on a show of silently pleading with Mugi instead.

That was quickly stopped by a quick chop to the head from Mio.

"Just let Yui be the vocalist already; she's willing to do it."

"Hey! I don't want to hear that coming from the likes of you," Ritsu jabbed at Mio but the bassist only rolled her eyes in response.

Meanwhile, Yui was playing it coy by saying, "But I'm not really that good at singing–"

"Well, then," Ritsu announced, clapping her hands. "Looks like it's all up to you, Mugi–"

"I lied! I lied! I want to sing! Please let me sing!" Yui cried out, launching herself off the sofa to wrap her arms around Ritsu's waist. The drummer responded by saying, "Get off me already, private!"

By then, Sawako's eyebrow was twitching in time to the throbbing of her head. Seriously? Could these girls ever get anything done? The young teacher quickly put an end to the horsing around by pulling the two teenage brunettes away from one another by the ear and telling Yui to start singing. All in all, the Hirasawa had a more than decent voice, and Sawako would have been contented by letting the guitarist take the lead vocals if not for–

"Oi, Yui! You have to play the guitar when you sing, remember?"

"Oh, right! I forgot. Let's see…"

Sawako pinched at the bridge of her nose. Was this girl for real? Her playing was now spot on but–"

"The words, Yui-chan!"

The teacher sighed. The light music club really had a long way to go, and she would probably have to coach Yui one-on-one for the rest of the week or so…

But there was progress nonetheless, right?

After all, every musician's first steps are bound to be shaky.

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"Hey, Ritsu… There's something else that I want to show you. I know this can't fit the current tracks that we have now but–"

"These are really good, Mio!" Ritsu exclaimed once she had glanced over the sheet of paper. "Maybe we can work on this with Mugi as a side project or something."

The bassist's grey eyes were downcast. "We probably would never be able to perform it, though, given the lyrics."

"But it would be a real shame to let these lyrics go to shame," the drummer insisted. "Now, tell me, how is this part supposed to go?"

Those amber eyes immediately brightened up at the familiar tune that Mio hummed. She had heard it once before, not all that long ago.

"… It's from our jam session the other day," Ritsu noted. Her mouth was parted slightly in awe. "Now we absolutely _have_ to make this song happen, Mio! I swear, I don't think I've ever heard you sound so assertive – these are brilliant!"

Maybe she was being prideful but it felt really good to be praised like that. She was well-aware of how edgy those lyrics sounded, and that they might be easily mistaken for something that was meant to stir the masses, but she nodded her consent nonetheless. She knew that it was dangerous but here she was encouraging Ritsu's excitement.

After all, they were young, right? They could always just say that they didn't know better, or that others were reading too much into those words. And besides, wasn't making mistakes in one's youth the best way to learn?

Mio sincerely hoped so as she dashed after the enthusiastic drummer tearing through the corridors.

:::


	13. Chapter 12

Battle Royale AU.

:::

This story is supposed to take place in the universe Takami Koushun creates for Battle Royale.

A word of caution: Expect the girls to be out of character. This is supposed to be a harsher world than the one K-on! is set in.

Disclaimer: K-On! belongs to Kakifly, and the Battle Royale universe belongs to Takami Koushun.

:::

"Listen!"

[We chose the same dream; that is the power that drives us for tomorrow]

:::

Arc Two: _Fuwa Fuwa Time._

Chapter Twelve.

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{"Hey, can you do me a favour?"}

The last message she sent sat idly in the messaging system for at least half a day before she was graced with a response.

{It depends on the favour. What do you need?"}

{"Find me whatever you can on Hirasawa Yui – and Hirasawa Ui, too, if you feel up to it."}

{"Sure, but it's going to cost you."}

She snorted to herself before tapping up a quick reply and slipping the phone into her pocket.

{"Nothing is free these days, anyway. I'll buy you dinner."}

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It was like a scene straight out of an animated film – something that she thought she might have seen playing on the television screen back when she used to spend her weekends playing at the Hirasawa household. Nodoka had been finalising details with some of the members of the light music club when the clubroom's door was thrown wide open. The resounding bang nearly had her jumping out of her skin. As a responsible member of the student council, Nodoka would have reprimanded the culprit for their careless handling of school property if she had not been otherwise distracted. The light that filtered in was blinding; the student council member didn't remember the sun shining quite as brightly earlier on in the day. The logical part of Nodoka's subconscious could not help but find that strange…

Two silhouettes were found amidst the bright flash. It took a moment for Nodoka's eyes to adjust to the change in lighting before she recognised the figures of Yui and Yamanaka-sensei at the door. The bespectacled girl could appreciate how cool the scene looked but she was also very much aware that the entire set-up was a little over the top. Then again, Yui always did tend to have dramatic entrances (though the definition of 'dramatic' may vary between situations).

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Yamanaka-sensei announced before flashing a thumbs-up at the small crowd. "She's perfect. Show them, Yui."

Yui followed the command wordlessly.

Her guitar was out of its case in a moment, and if the awe in the light music club members' eyes were anything to go by, this might be the fastest that Yui has ever set up her equipment. Nodoka might not be a musician but even she could tell that there was something different – something _better_ – about Yui's playing. A quick survey of her friends revealed a slack-jawed Mio and an awestruck Mugi. Ritsu was murmuring something under her breath; it was barely audible but what little Nodoka could overhear sounded like praise.

And with a deep breath, the brunette began to sing–

–causing the other members of the band to fall over in a pile because of it.

Even Nodoka could feel a drop of sweat sliding down the back of her neck at that display. She really should have expected something like this coming from Yui. Sometimes, the Manabe girl would find herself wondering if Yui had the best or worst luck out of everyone in the world.

"Oi," Ritsu called out from her spot by Nodoka's side. "Sounding a little sexy there, aren't you, Yui?"

"I might have made her practice too much."

"That's true; I have no voice left."

Ritsu looked as if she was going to retort but the drummer instantly deflated at the sound of Nodoka's sigh.

"Let's not argue; it can't be helped, anyway. We should probably think about alternatives, instead," said Nodoka. "Any changes made in the details have to be in today, by the way."

"If Yui can't sing…" Ritsu trailed off before trading glances with Mugi. The two of them then turned towards the remaining member of their band.

"No way," said Mio pointedly. "I refuse."

"No, wait," Yamanaka-sensei then interjected. "That would make sense. Mio's the only other person that knows the lyrics–"

"That's because she was the one to write them in the first place. Come on, Mio!"

"Mio-chan, please!"

"I beg of you with my husky voice!"

Mio remained silent through all that chaos. Her lips trembled, as if she was holding something back. Ritsu and Yui were the most vocal in egging the bassist on whereas Mugi looked torn between encouraging the raven-haired girl to take on the role of the lead singer and protecting said girl from the brunettes' efforts of pressuring her into it. Mio eventually blurted out the words that everyone wanted to hear:

"Alright, already! I'll do it. Sheesh."

Nodoka thought she might have heard her classmate add something under her breath; it sounded suspiciously like, "I should have known. Karma. Of course."

The student council member just reached over and gave Mio a reassuring pat on the back though she was getting worried herself. There was less than a week left till the light music club's debut performance, and it was without a doubt that the members of said club would be busy helping their class prepare for the festival…

Perhaps she should go to the local shrine sometime soon. She really hoped that the upcoming event would be a smooth one, and that the light music club's show would run without a hitch.

Especially for Yui's sake.

It has been quite a while since Yui has been so genuinely happy.

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So this was it – the day that Sakuragaoka High School's very own light music club would perform for the very first time.

The excitement was simmering right below the surface of Ritsu's being. She had been trying to keep her act together while she manned the desk for her class' haunted house lest she put any of the guests off but her emotions were getting rather hard to keep in check with the presence of an enthusiastic Yui. That girl's energy was infectious; Yui was bouncing on the balls of her feet where she stood, and that made Ritsu all the more fired up to play her drums again.

Ritsu grinned in return to the guitarist's megawatt smile.

"Calm down, Yui," she said. "Mugi and I will be done in about a minute. We're just waiting for the next person on shift to arrive."

"And Mio-chan?" asked Yui. "Have you seen her? She passed by the class' fried noodles stall earlier."

Ritsu hummed as she thought. Yes, Mio had stopped by earlier as wall. She had been trying to get the light music club together for one last practice session before they would have to take the stage. But the raven-haired girl had left the moment Ritsu pointed out that Mugi was taking the first shift in their class' haunted house. There was no way that Mio would enter the horror zone, even if it was named something as ridiculous as _Lovey-Dovey Nightmare Mansion_. Perhaps the bassist had gone ahead to the music room, Ritsu mused.

"Ah! I'm sorry I ran late, Ritsu! Akane was getting overwhelmed preparing the ghouls for the next shift, so I had to help out with the costumes. And Mugi will be out in a bit, I think," said one of the girls form Class 2-2.

"Don't worry about it, Eri," said Ritsu, waving off the apology. "It's fine."

Upon noticing Yui once she had caught her breath, Eri then greeted the Hirasawa girl and wished her all the best for the performance later on. The three classmates were in the midst of some small talk when Mugi arrived, apologising for having them wait for her. The new receptionist, Eri, then sent the three musicians off with a wave and a cheer of _"Fight-o, Keion-bu!"_

The trio had just turned into the next corridor when Ritsu stopped them.

"You go on ahead, Yui," the drummer directed.

She reached out to tug at Mugi's sleeve before adding, "I'll accompany Mugi to the washroom first. Mio will have a fit if she saw Mugi with that gory make-up still on."

Yui merely nodded before dashing off. Mugi giggled into the palm of her hand. She waved at Yui when the guitarist looked back to flash her friends a thumbs up.

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As they made their way to the nearest washroom, the blonde couldn't help but ask:

"Would Mio-chan really be alarmed by some make-up? It doesn't seem like she would."

"You have no idea," Ritsu muttered, rolling her eyes. The shorter girl pushed the washroom's door opened and ushered the heiress in. "You didn't hear it from me but Mio doesn't handle supernatural stuff very well. It would really be a shame if she got shaken up just before the performance. She's probably nervous about taking lead vocals as it is."

Mugi had been reaching out for one of the taps when she paused. "You really care for Mio-chan, don't you?"

Ritsu merely shrugged as she hopped up to sit on the available space on the counter. There was a sink in between where Ritsu sat and the one that Mugi had been about to use.

"Mio is someone very important to me," the brunette added in response to the blonde's gentle smile. "She's been my best friend for the longest time. We've known each other since kindergarten– or was it elementary school? I can't really remember but I think you get the point."

The pianist giggled at that before turning on the tap and splashing some water on her face.

"In fact, I think it might be safe to say that Mio is the only person who knows me better than I know myself," Ritsu said pointedly, hugging her knees and drawing them to her chest. "She likes to say that I'm the loyal one but Mio's the one who always has my back. Mio's always so reliable… I think I'd be a walking disaster if she isn't there to watch my back, you know?"

Here Ritsu shot her friend a sheepish smile. A hand rubbed at the back of Ritsu's neck as the brunette continued.

"I got into some trouble a couple of years back," Ritsu admitted with downcast eyes. She was still rubbing at the back of her neck. "I got mixed up with the wrong crowd and ended doing a whole bunch of rubbish during that time. Mio… She set me straight the moment she found out. I don't think I've ever seen Mio so angry before then – or ever since, for that matter. Knocked some sense into me, she did – and quite literally, too. In a way, it was Mio who saved me."

Ritsu's smile had turned bittersweet by then. The sight of it made Mugi's heart ache. Who would've thought that Ritsu of all people was capable of looking quite so solemn? It was now quiet between the two of them but the Tainaka's unspoken words rang clearly in the silence: _So, I've taken it upon myself to protect her. Always._

Gripped by the amount of emotion confined in such a small room, Mugi was driven to the brink of tears. She was so overwhelmed; she couldn't isolate a single emotion from the flurry that she was caught in to even give it a name. All that Mugi knew was the she was moved….

… and even a tiny bit envious?

She knew full well that it wasn't her father's fault – he just wanted the best for his little girl, after all – but she couldn't help but feel _robbed_ of such an experience. Being bound to their family's mansion all her life, Mugi has never had the chance to forge such deep friendships with anyone. The closest person that Mugi has to a friend would be Sumire but even that was different. Mugi regarded the younger girl as a little sister more than anything else but Sumire had always been more reserved due to the Saito name and her family's history of employment under the Kotobuki family. It just wasn't the same. Mugi thought she had long since been above throwing her temper around like a spoiled child but the blonde had never been more tempted to stamp her foot in frustration at that very moment.

"Hey, Mugi. You've still got some burn scars left on your left temple. Right here," Ritsu pointed out while tapping at her own head to indicate the spot.

That left the blonde flushing; the pianist quickly went back to washing the make-up away. Mugi was rather caught up in clearing her face of paint that she very nearly missed Ritsu's next words.

"But, hey, you and Yui are really important to me, too. I pinkie promised that I would protect you as well back when we were still working at _Izakaya_, remember?" said Ritsu with a smile.

"If anyone has the guts to try and bother you, Mio or Yui, they'll have to go through me first, alright?" the drummer announced, jabbing herself in the chest with her thumb as she did.

"Here," Ritsu said, handing Mugi a tissue to dry her face. Mugi accepted it with a word of thanks, but not before noting Ritsu's current posture.

"Umm... Ricchan? I don't think you should be sitting like that while wearing a skirt," Mugi pointed out hesitantly.

The effect of her words was immediate. Ritsu's face instantly flushed red, and the drummer quickly hopped down from her perch.

"Yeah, whatever. We're in the girl's bathroom, anyway, so it's fine," said the brunette in an attempt to brush it off though she steadfastly avoided looking at Mugi.

Ritsu made a bee-line for the door. "Now, come on. Mio and Yui are waiting. We've got a show to put on."

.

.

.

Completely absorbed in trying to keep up with the instrumental track that was blasting into her left ear through a single earbud, Mio was completely oblivious to the presence of a spectator just beyond the music room's door. She neither heard the jiggling of the doorknob as it was being turned nor the muted thud of the door being closed. Suffice to say, the bassist-turned-vocalist nearly jumped right out of her skin when a single voice cut right across the music to address her.

"Thank you for your hard work. Mugi-chan and Ricchan will be here shortly, by the way," chirped Yui as the brunette lowered her guitar case and immediately unzipped it. A pair of grey eyes widened in surprise; Yui rarely got started with practice without some prompting from her friends (or bribery from Mugi, for that matter). The brunette blew out a puff of air as she slung her guitar on, bright brown eyes looking expectantly at Mio. It was clear that Yui was waiting for instructions.

But instead of beginning right away, Mio remarked, "It looks like your voice hasn't come back, Yui."

Yui shook her head in response. It was then that Mio realised something different about Yui. When she had met the guitarist at her Class 2-2's fried noodle stall earlier on, Yui had been a ball of energy. Taking her hoarse voice in stride, the guitarist had kept up a flattering impression of the school's kindly cafeteria lady. After all, Yui was pretty well-known for giving her all in what she does (except maybe when it came to studies). And yet, the Yui that stood before Mio at that very moment seemed rather sedated; the girl's usually infectious enthusiasm was heavily muted. The vibe that Mio received from her friend was exceedingly calm – and, for some reason, that had Mio worrying.

The bassist was just about to ask Yui if she was alright when the guitarist spoke up.

"Ne, Mio-chan, I'm sorry."

"… What?"

Yui inhaled deeply and looked upon Mio with earnest eyes.

"I'm really sorry for troubling you. You wouldn't have had to carry this extra burden if I didn't overdo it during practice with Sawachan-sensei," explained Yui with a wry smile.

Mio was taken aback. This would be the very first time that she was given a glimpse of Yui's solemn side. That broken smile that Yui had on seized Mio's heart and wrung it dry; for some unknown reason, Mio was gripped by the urge to console Yui – to let the brunette know that Mio held nothing against her.

"It's not your fault, Yui," Mio found herself saying. "It's one of those situations that can't be helped. We're a band, after all – we'll always help and support one another, right?"

Their eyes met, and for one brief moment, Mio could see a completely different Yui from that one that she has come to know. It sent a chill down Mio's spine. She was suddenly very much aware of how little she truly knew about Yui besides the girl's fondness for sweets and airheaded tendencies. For the first time, Mio found herself questioning who Yui was.

"I'm glad," said Yui, switching back to one of her _fuwa fuwa _smiles. She raised her right hand up in a peace sign, exclaiming, "You can count on me to have your back, Mio-chan?"

And the moment was broken. The awkward atmosphere vanished in its entirety, and Mio began laughing. What had transpired seemed so surreal now; Mio could have chalked their previous exchange to her imagination if she wanted to. Yui laughed along with her, which made Mio laugh all the more. The laughter eventually died down and the duo found themselves in a comfortable silence.

"Ne, Mio-chan," said Yui, out of the blue, "I'm really glad to be able to be friends with you, Ricchan and Mugi-chan. The three of you have been so patient with me… I can't thank the three of you enough."

Mio was just about to reply when the door burst open.

"Geez, what's with the heavy atmosphere?"

"There you are, captain!" chirruped Yui immediately. The brunette then made a show of pouting. "I was just starting to miss you and Mugi-chan."

"Don't give me that bull, private."

"You're right," Yui acceded. "I was just missing Mugi-chan and her snacks."

"Why you–" Ritsu growled through a smile as she rushed over to put Yui in a headlock. The guitarist merely stuck out her tongue and darted out of the way.

"Umm… Shouldn't we start practicing soon?" asked Mugi in attempt to get everyone to settle down. The blonde's question remained unheeded by the two wrestling brunettes. It was only after an extended silence that Mugi realised that Mio has been silent for some time now.

"Mio-chan?" asked Mugi, gently shaking the girl in question.

That startled Mio right out of her thought. "Umm… Maybe we can start with a spot of tea first – just for today, I mean."

Yui, who had just broken out of Ritsu's hold, cheered at that. The guitarist quickly seated herself at the cluster of desks and was soon joined by the club's leader. Mugi had happily begun preparing the tea, leaving Mio the only one still standing at the practice area.

"Oi, Mio, are you alright? You can't possibly be getting a case of nerves _now_, right?"

Mio shook her head.

"I'm fine," she said with finality as she strode over to help Mugi with the tea. Ritsu was puzzled for all of one second before she announced that they should celebrate their debut by staying over her place for the long weekend. Yui immediately chirped that they should invite Azusa along.

There was no point in mulling over what had happened earlier, Mio decided. Even if Yui seemed like she was hiding something, she would tell the rest of them when she was good and ready – and Mio could respect that. She has at least that much faith in Yui.

How could she call herself Yui's friend otherwise?

.

.

.

Azusa was standing precariously on the very tips of her toes. Her spine felt impossibly straight, stretched as far as it could possibly go. With her neck arched, Azusa was struggling to catch sight of the light music club from her spot at the back of the auditorium.

"Umm… Would you like to switch places with me, Azusa-chan?" asked Ui from Azusa's right.

"Nah, let the squirt struggle," joked Jun from her spot on Azusa's left, slapping the petite guitarist on the back for good measure and nearly sending the twin-tailed girl careening into the occupied seats before her. Jun merely flashed a cheeky smile when Azusa turned to glare at her fellow jazz musician.

Stepping up as peacemaker, Ui wordlessly exchanged spots with Azusa – partially because Azusa wouldn't have to crane her neck as much to see from the spot that Ui had previously occupied, and partially to keep their fun-loving friend from provoking the fiery guitarist any further.

Azusa had half a mind to keep her glare up when the music started – and, well, _damn_.

The first-year has had the privilege of sitting in and helping out the light music club time and time again – and she's pretty dang proud of how far they've come – but Azusa swore they never sounded _that_ good.

Ritsu's excitement would often get to her, and her rushed beats were usually painfully apparent because Mio's timing was absolutely steady. Mugi, bless her soul, would then try her best to match her friends but there was only so much she could do when the percussion section weren't working together. Their guitarist friend, on the other hand, would trudge along at the pace she had developed through practice. They all knew that Yui relied on muscle memory, and any attempts to adapt to the changes usually left the poor girl more confused than before.

But this time, it was different. There was something else at play here – something so strong that the entire auditorium thrummed with it. The music more than the booming of Ritsu's kick drum, the heavy rhythm of Mio's bass, the buzz of Yui's guitar, or even the chiming accompaniment that Mugi played. Whatever it was, Azusa knew Mio could feel it, too – she heard it in her upperclassman's voice. It lent the shy bassist a sense of confidence that manifested itself as the power and clarity in her singing.

_Synergy_. That was the only way Azusa could think to put it. When those girls played together on that stage, they became so much more than they were apart.

And amidst all the admiration Azusa held for her seniors, there was a tiny twinge deep inside her chest. It wasn't exactly jealousy but more of a kind of _longing_. Sure, Azusa was in the school's jazz club but was she really _in_ the school's jazz club? Even as a guest, the light music club had already instilled a sense of belonging in the young guitarist that _just wasn't there_ when she was with her own club.

… Could Ritsu have been right about Azusa belonging with them?

It was only when the applause started that Azusa realised that the performance was over. She clapped along with them – still somewhat distracted by her own thoughts – when feedback from the mic and speaker screeched out at the entire audience.

Startled by the commotion, the first-year student looked up at the stage.

And, wow, what an eyeful it was. Azusa wasn't sure if she could look at striped rice bowls the same way ever again.

.

.

.

{"So I did the homework that you've asked of me, and I can't believe that I didn't connect the dots before. The Hirasawa sisters are apparently related to _that_ family."}

{"… The Hirasawa name isn't all that common; I was sort of expecting that. Did you find anything else?"}

{"Geez, what a buzzkill. And it wouldn't kill you to thank people for their hard work, you know? Anyway, the previous year's Battle Royale might answer some of the questions that you might have. We're a bunch of idiots for noticing it before. Seriously."}

{"… I'll thank you in person with that dinner I promised. Now, will you stop beating around the bush and tell me what exactly is it that has gotten you so riled up?"}

{"Hirasawa Ui was one of the winners of last year's Battle Royale."}

{"Fuck. Please send me the Hirasawa sisters' files as soon as possible."}

{"Already on it."}

{"Thanks. I owe you one."}

{"I'll be sure to remember that."}

:::


End file.
